


Perfect Strangers

by remuslives23



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Auror!Sirius, F/M, Getting Together, M/M, Mystery, marauder big bang, old fic, tutor!Remus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 06:16:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2955305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remuslives23/pseuds/remuslives23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An anonymous encounter in a nightclub brings Sirius Black and Remus Lupin together in a tangle of sex, lies, and murder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The strobe lights sent rainbow-coloured flashes of light flickering across Sirius Black's sweat-slicked skin. The deep bass pulsing through the floor was resonating through his entire body, flesh tingling and muscles energised. It was hot in the Muggle club; the scent of sex and sweat and booze filling the air as the mass of dancing bodies gyrated as one. An elbow dug into Sirius' ribs and, as he moved in time with the fast beat of the synthesized drums, his hip bumped against his dance partner's. He grinned at the other man; the smile enthusiastically returned.

They were pressed close, so close Sirius could feel the heat of the other man's body through their thin cotton shirts, could feel the rub of his erection against his own answering hardness through the heavy denim of their jeans. His breathing - already heavy from exertion and anticipation – hastened as the friction tightened the knot of arousal in his gut, and Sirius could feel the reciprocal rise and fall of his partner's respiration against his chest. Blood pounded in his ears, dulling the steady thumpthumpthump of the music.

Sirius licked his dry lips and boldly reached out, spreading his fingers very deliberately over the jut of the other man's hip. He squeezed enquiringly, and the man responded by grinding their groins together, his hand coming up to clutch at the front of Sirius' red t-shirt. Sirius moaned, the rush of sensation making him dizzy with lust. Without another moment of hesitation, Sirius reached around the other man to clutch at his arse. He met with no resistance, and the other man took the opportunity to slide his thigh between Sirius', rocking rhythmically against Sirius' own pumping hips. Sirius' head fell forward, braced against a hard shoulder as his partner's arms came up around his neck to hold him close. They moved with an erotic elegance, acutely aware of every single inch of their over-stimulated bodies.

'Fuck,' Sirius grunted, closing his eyes as their cocks dragged deliciously together, sending spikes of pleasure sparking along the length of his spine. His hands curled around the other man's arse, fitting his palms along the curve where buttock met thigh.

'Yes,' his partner hissed into Sirius' ear, lips brushing against the shell before Sirius felt the wet stroke of a tongue against his lobe. 'Please.'

Sirius shuddered as lust surged hot and hard through him. His fingers clenched convulsively around the tight flesh in his hands, and he turned his head to nip sharply at the long column of the other man's neck.

'Come on then,' Sirius muttered into his partner's throat, flicking his tongue over the warmth of the pounding pulse point he discovered there.

He slid a hand along the bony protrusions in the centre of the other man's back, following the bumpy path to his nape. Sirius lifted his head and pulled back, his body screaming a complaint at the loss of heat. He smiled seductively, licking his lips again, and was pleased when the other man's eyes followed his tongue's every move.

'Let's go.'

Sirius put gentle, but insistent pressure on the other man's neck, encouraging him to follow. His smile widened when the man came along eagerly, his arms stretching to seize the hem of Sirius' shirt, tugging Sirius back towards him so their bodies were once again touching. Sirius groaned as already sensitized nerve-endings buzzed at the contact. He tangled his fingers into the man's light-brown hair before dragging him in for their first kiss.

Sirius' head span and he clenched his hand tightly around fine strands of hair. They wasted no time on niceties, mouths greedily devouring, tongues sweeping across lips and teeth. It was hot and dirty and all-consuming, Sirius barely aware that he was moving as they stumbled off the dance floor and into a darkened corridor at the back of the club. Sirius' lips bit at the other man's – he'd been wanting to see that mouth all red and swollen from the moment he saw him through the writhing throng – and his cock swelled impossibly when the resultant moan went directly to his balls.

He found himself with his back against the wall, pinned by the man's long, lithe body. Hands were shoving under his shirt, sliding over his stomach. The calloused touch made him quiver, and a breath juddered from his lungs. Gods, he loved this! The thrill of a new partner, the mindless rush of pure lust without the complication of emotion... He needed to get out more often.

Sirius' shirt bunched under his arms and suddenly the other man was on his knees, his open mouth forging a searing path across Sirius' abdomen. 'You are so fucking sexy,' the kneeling man muttered, his hands already working Sirius' button fly open. 'Wanted to do this as soon as I saw you.'

Sirius' knees buckled a little and his fingers scrabbled at the rough wall behind him as he tried to regain equilibrium. The backs of the man's fingers brushed over the now-exposed shaft, and Sirius swore, letting his head fall back against the wall with a clunk. As his cock sprang completely free, Sirius heard a litany of groans and whispered instructions drifting up from the other end of the corridor. He turned his head, watching in a lust-blown daze as two men fucked vigorously just five feet from where he was about to get a blow job. He looked past the screwing couple and saw other men in varying stages of copulation. A tiny moan escaped as he watched the others then he hissed and thrust his hips forward as wet heat surrounded the head of his dick.

He looked down, huffing out a little laugh when he saw his partner's quizzical expression. 'Sorry. Distracted,' he managed, and the other man released his cock with a pop.

'Not while I'm sucking your cock, mate,' he retorted before he dove back in, sucking Sirius down to the root without any warning.

Sirius cried out, reaching out and tangling his fingers in the silky hair as his cock was expertly worked over. His breath came in short, erratic pants as he rocked his hips, encouraged by the other man's muffled moans. He let his hand fall from the man's hair to his face, dragging his thumb over those soft lips as they stretched around his cock. The man looked up at him, and there was enough light from the bar that Sirius could see the amusement stirring in those gorgeous eyes.

Sirius canted his hips sharply, a grin flashing across his own face when the other man gagged slightly. He was paid back with a light scrape of teeth along his length then he laughed breathlessly when the man covered his teeth just in time to avoid the sensitive crown. A talented tongue toyed with his glans, and Sirius could feel his orgasm burning through his veins. A rush of overwhelming ecstasy surged violently through him and, before he could try and hold it back, Sirius was shuddering his way through his release, gripping the back of the stranger's head as he spilled hot pulses of come down the welcoming throat.

Sirius collapsed against the wall, only the presence of the other man's steadying hand on his hip keeping him upright. He blinked, watching in a haze as the blue-eyed man rose and swiftly unzipped his trousers.

'You gonna help with this?' he asked, his voice hoarse as his fingers closed around his erection.

Sirius felt a renewed jolt of desire at the knowledge that the man's sexy rasp had been a result of sucking his cock, and he grabbed the other man's shirt, pulling him in fast for a messy snog as he reversed their positions. Reaching down, he batted the other man's hand away, wrapping his own fingers around the throbbing, pre-come slicked shaft.

'Won't be... ah... long...' the man whispered against Sirius' mouth, biting down on his bottom lip and making Sirius yelp. 'Oh, yeah... Fuck, faster.'

Sirius' hand picked up pace and it was only seconds before the man was keening, thick ejaculate spurting in ribbons all over Sirius' wrist and fingers. He slowed now, still pumping the softening cock until the man made a noise of objection and wrapped his hand around Sirius' wrist to stop him. 'Shit, stop now,' he gasped then he exhaled contentedly. 'I needed that. I really should do this more often.'

Sirius laughed and planted a wet, sucking kiss on his neck. 'I was just thinking the same,' he mumbled, worrying the delicate skin under the man's chin with his teeth.

The man chuckled again then jerked his head away when the teasing nibble became a bruising bite. Sirius grinned at him then wiped his soiled hand off on the man's shirt. 'Do I get to know your name?' he asked, smile broadening when the man pulled a face at the sticky stain.

'Do you care?' he retorted, and Sirius shrugged.

'Not particularly,' he admitted, pushing himself away from the man and quickly re-buttoning his fly. 'Thanks for that.'

The man snorted, tugging his zipper into place then he looked directly into Sirius' eyes. 'No problem,' he said wryly, a sardonic smile playing about his lips. 'Might see you in here again sometime.'

He gave Sirius a wink then headed back towards the dance floor. He stopped just short of the end of the corridor, staring for a long moment at the half-dressed snogging couple against the wall before he continued out to the club. Sirius watched him go, smoothing his clean hand over his hair.

'Yeah,' he said, tucking his shirt in and eyeing the now-naked couple himself as he passed them. 'Maybe.'

'Don't fuss, Harry!' Lily Potter said impatiently, brushing the four-year-old's hands away from his head. She dragged a comb through his unruly dark locks one final time then sighed when he made a high-pitched noise of protest. 'Fine! I give up. Go.'

Harry whooped and ran out the front door, nearly barreling one of his honorary uncles over as he did.

'Whoa!' Peter Pettigrew yelped, calling a goodbye after Harry who waved distractedly at him. 'What's his hurry?'

'He's off to his lessons,' Lily said with a despondent little moue. 'I still can't believe he's old enough to be learning elementary magic and control...'

Peter smiled and slung an arm around her shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze before he held out his hands to help her up. 'You could do with the rest,' he said as he pulled the heavily pregnant woman to her feet. 'He's such a handful, and in your condition...'

'I'm pregnant, Pete,' she said in the tone of one who had grown tired of repeating herself. 'Not ill. I can look after my son.'

Peter opened his mouth to defend himself, but James Potter beat him to it. 'I don't think Peter suggested any such thing,' he said soothingly, shooting Peter a sympathetic look. 'But he is a Healer, and he is right. Your back has been hurting all day. You need more rest, and Harry just never stops.'

'Wonder where he got that from,' Lily muttered then glared at James when he tried to help her to the stairs. 'James! I'm fine. Just go and take Harry to his lessons before he's late.'

'Hey!'

All three turned at the sound of the voice, Lily making an exasperated noise.

'I found this playing in the dirt outside,' Sirius Black said with a grin. He glanced down at a giggling Harry who he was holding upside down. 'Does it belong to anyone here?'

'Oh, for Merlin's sake,' Lily snapped, hurrying across the room faster than her bulk would suggest possible. 'Look at the state of you, Harry James Potter.'

'She's middle-naming you, Harry,' Sirius said, staring wide-eyed at the bespectacled boy in his arms. 'You're in big trouble.'

'Yes, he is,' Lily agreed as Sirius flipped Harry the right way up and planted his feet on the ground. 'Why would you go rolling about on the ground when...?'

She gasped and her eyes bulged as she looked down at her distended stomach. 'Oh, Gods,' she whispered, turning a panicked gaze to her husband. 'James...'

James leaped to her side, sliding a hand over her tightening stomach protectively as Lily whimpered from the pain of the sudden contraction. 'It's too early, isn't it?' he whispered, horrified. 'It's too early.'

Peter gently pushed James out of the way, taking his place beside Lily as he pulled his wand from his pocket. 'James, go and get the Emergency Portkey and Lily's hospital bag. Lily...' He looked up at the woman and smiled his reassuring 'It's okay. I'm a Healer' smile. 'Lily, it's alright. It is a little early, but it's fine. Let me check your vitals, okay?'

Lily nodded, gripping Peter's hand gratefully as he expertly performed several tests. Yellow and pink clouds swirled around Lily and, after a few minutes, Peter nodded. 'She's fine,' he smiled, patting Lily's belly fondly. 'She's just like her brother - impatient as hell.'

'No cursing around the baby... oh, no!' Lily gasped, holding her stomach. 'Another one.'

Sirius shifted from foot to foot, feeling absolutely useless. 'What can I do?' he asked, gripping Harry's shoulders a little too tightly. The little boy complained loudly and wriggled out of his godfather's grasp. 'Give me something to do.'

'Take Harry to Molly's and let his tutor know what's happened,' James said as he entered the room at a run. 'And pick him up this afternoon for us. Please?'

Sirius nodded quickly, wincing when Lily doubled over and howled in pain. 'I'll just... take him right now,' he said, paling when Lily broke her own rules and swore loudly. He scooped a puzzled Harry up into his arms and backed towards the door. 'Um... good luck...'

A turn of phrase that made him blush followed him out of the house and he shook his head. 'Your mum kisses you with that mouth?' he muttered to Harry, who frowned in confusion.

'Yes?' he answered innocently.

Sirius laughed then grimaced when another loud screech filled the air. 'Right,' he said, giving Harry a hug. 'Mummy's going to St Mungo's to have your baby sister and you, my man, are going to go and learn how to turn her hair purple one day. Let's go to school, yeah?'

Harry looked over his shoulder at the house, a little frown creasing his brow. Sirius smiled at him. 'Your mum will be fine,' he reassured Harry. 'You can tell your teacher all about how you heard mummy swear. Maybe you can teach some of the other kids those new words?'

Harry brightened at the thought of mischief – he was definitely his father's son – and nodded. Sirius smiled then, with an overly dramatic twirl, he Apparated them away.

Remus Lupin checked his watch. 'Molly?' he called, leaning back in his chair so he could see into the house.

Molly Weasley appeared in the hall, peering through the dimness of the house to the porch where Remus sat. 'Are they misbehaving already?' she asked in exasperation.

Remus quickly shook his head, glancing at the six red heads sitting angelically on the ground in front of him. 'No, not yet,' he said with a wink at Fred Weasley (or was that George?). 'No, I was just wondering if you'd heard anything from the Potters? Harry's late.'

'No, dear,' she said, wiping her floury hands on a dish towel as she bustled towards the front door. 'Perhaps Lily isn't feeling well?'

'Mm,' murmured Remus, gnawing at his bottom lip and throwing a distracted smile at little Ginny, who was hiding behind her mother's skirts.

He had planned this lesson around Harry's interest in the Muggle car Arthur Weasley had hidden – very badly – in the back shed and didn't want to continue without him. He'd grown fond of inquisitive little Harry over the last two months. Remus had held reservations about taking on the role of tutor for the young Weasley children when his friend, Arthur, first approached him, but the man's desperate pleas for Remus to teach his children magical restraint, plus the promise of free food and lodgings, lured him in. And when Lily Potter had visited and, after watching Remus in action with the rambunctious Weasley twins, practically begged Remus to take on Harry as well, offering cash as an inducement when he balked... How could a broke werewolf turn down the chance to be comfortable for a change?

He shifted in his chair, his bones aching as the pull of the full moon grew stronger. It was only a few days until the change and Remus' body was feeling the strain. He'd planned less active lessons on either side of the transformation, but his all-nighter at a Muggle club earlier this week had thrown his body out of whack, and he was paying for his delicious, but foolhardy, transgression.

Remus smiled to himself. Oh, but that mystery man had been a wonderful distraction from the upcoming change. Remus stared out over the unkempt yard, letting his thoughts drift back to that night, then he gasped as, with a quiet pop, the man in his memory took corporeal form. He blinked – once, twice, three times – then glanced at Molly to see if she could see what had to be an apparition. His mouth fell open when she not only seemed to see it, but she rushed out of the house to greet it with a warm hug.

'Sirius!' she said joyfully. 'It's been ages since you visited. And you've got Harry. Does this mean...?'

The dark-haired man smiled and nodded, tickling Harry's ribs. 'It means Harry will have a sister by the end of the day,' he said, and Remus gasped softly as that familiar voice oozed like melted chocolate over his senses. Memories of that voice, of that night, slammed into Remus and, overwhelmed by his visceral reaction, he closed his eyes, positive that this was some kind of hallucination.

'Remus!'

Harry flung his chubby arms around Remus' neck, and he cracked open one eye to stare at that dark, disheveled head. This felt real, but if Harry was real then so was...

'Remus, this is Harry's godfather, Sirius Black,' Molly said enthusiastically, linking arms with Sirius as she tugged him insistently towards the porch. 'Sirius, this is Remus Lupin. My saviour.'

Remus managed a sickly sort of smile at Molly's introduction then reluctantly raised his gaze to meet the narrowed grey eyes that were peering intently at him.

'Remus...' the man called Sirius murmured, eyeing him thoughtfully. 'Do I...? I know you, don't I?'

'I... I don't think so,' Remus muttered, holding out his hand for Sirius to shake. 'Nice to meet you.'

Sirius frowned, but took his hand. As soon as the warm fingers wrapped around Remus', he was swamped with heat, his blood boiling and redirecting itself to his groin. Sirius' eyes widened and Remus felt the other man's thumb ghost over a callous on the side of Remus' forefinger.

'Oh...' Sirius breathed, his eyes lowering to Remus' throat, searching – Remus guessed – for the bruise his worrying teeth had raised while they were both still shivering in the aftermath of their orgasms.

Instinctively, Remus tugged his hand free and brought it to his throat – practically a confirmation.

'It – um – it's nice to meet you, too,' Sirius said quietly, intrigue laced through the words, 'Remus Lupin.'

Remus inhaled sharply at the sound of that deep, melodious voice uttering his name then pulled himself together when he heard the children giggling behind him. He nodded curtly then looked down at a still-clinging Harry.

'Would you like to have a drive in a real car today?' he asked, thankful he'd had to learn to drive for a previous job when he saw Harry's face light up like the sun. 'Alright then. Come on, you lot.'

He stood, letting Harry slip his small hand inside his larger one, then half-turned towards the other man. 'Give Lily my best wishes,' he said to Sirius, not quite looking at the other man.

'I'll do that,' Sirius said. Then, as Remus ushered the excited children away, he called, 'And I'll be seeing you this afternoon when I pick up Harry... Remus Lupin.'

Remus felt his cock twitch once again and mouthed, 'Fuck,' to himself as he shooed the children into the shed and shut the door firmly behind them.


	2. Chapter Two

Sirius flopped into his chair in the Auror's Office, a bemused smile on his face. 'Remus Lupin,' he muttered, leaning back and stretching his legs out in front of him as he ignored the chatter and laughter around him. 'A name to the face.'

What were the chances that he would ever run into his one night stand again, let alone just days later, and barely a few miles from James and Lily's home?

'It's a sign,' he said to himself, his smile broadening when he recalled that night in the club. The feeling of that man's - Remus' - lips stretched around him, his tongue curling around his cock, his hard body pressing against Sirius'...

His erotic daydreaming was interrupted by Moody's shout of, 'Come on, you lot!' and the clatter of chairs being scraped along the floor. Sirius let out a long, calming breath and adjusted his jeans in an attempt to hide his burgeoning erection. It wouldn't do to front up for the morning briefing with a tent in his pants that could house a grown man.

He grabbed his scarlet robe from the back of his chair and tugged it over his shoulders as he made his way to the conference room, grimacing as the pungent scent of body odour greeted him.

Jamming twenty-five people into a room meant for ten... usually this would be my idea of a good time.

Sirius squeezed in beside a tall redhead, nodding at the other man when he turned to see who had jostled him.

'Black.'

'Prewett.'

Fabian Prewett shuffled to the side in an attempt to give Sirius more room. 'If there was ever a need for a Cooling Spell,' he muttered, and Sirius chuckled.

'Moody thinks it helps efficiency to keep us uncomfortable,' he said. 'Thinks we'll be forced out to work rather than buggering around at our desks.'

Fabian snorted. 'That man is a nutter,' he declared then the room fell silent as Alastor Moody shoved through the crowd on his way to the front of the room.

'Right, listen up,' he snapped, flicking his wand at the wall. Writing appeared on the painted surface as, with another motion, Moody sent the sheaf of papers he was holding floating around the room.

'Everyone take one of those pictures,' Moody ordered, turning to face his team.

Sirius snatched one of the pieces of paper out of the air and glanced at it. He did a double take, his mind taking a moment to catch up as he tried to process what he was seeing. It was a Muggle photograph of a young man. A very dead young man.

Sirius winced as his eyes took in the angry slashes in the man's pale skin, the large, vicious bite marks marring his naked flesh, the pool of dark red blood pooling around him. He was splayed – limbs askew, body broken - across a pile of rubbish bags, and his eyes were wide open, staring dull and lifeless back at Sirius.

'Gods,' he whispered, and heard Fabian utter a curse under his breath.

'Not so good-looking anymore, is he?' Moody said above the low murmur of shock emanating from the red-robed men and women.

Sirius closed his eyes, swallowing back the bile that had burned at the back of his throat as Moody yelled, 'Quiet!'

Silence fell quickly, everyone's attention on Alastor Moody as he paced like a caged animal in front of them. 'This man – Ben Holland - was found in that condition just over three weeks ago outside a Muggle nightclub called, 'Skin'.'

Sirius' head shot up, his breath catching in his throat. 'Skin'. That was the name of the club he'd be frequenting lately; the club he'd been at just two nights earlier. There was a speculative noise from several Aurors, and Moody grunted.

'Yes, it is a gay bar, but right now, there's no evidence that Holland ever set a foot inside. Gay or straight, he's still dead, and traces of magic have been found on the body.'

Moody lifted his chin, his gaze encompassing everyone in the room. 'This murder was committed on the night of the last full moon and, considering the injuries sustained, we believe that the culprit is a werewolf.'

There was an audible gasp of shock, and Emmeline Vance raised her hand. 'Why have we only heard about this now?'

Moody made a harrumphing noise. 'Because the bloody idiot Muggle police insisted on running the investigation themselves,' he told her, his contempt for the police obvious. 'There was a similar murder four weeks earlier in the same area, but the body was released for burial and the police stamped it as unsolved. It wasn't until this one turned up that the moron in the Muggle Liaison Department managed to convince them that the cases could be linked, and that it should be ours.' He looked at Sirius. 'The sooner Potter is back from leave the better. He's got a way with Muggles.'

'Lily went into labour this morning,' Sirius told him. 'You'll have James back chatting up the Muggles as soon as she and the baby are settled.'

'Good,' Moody muttered.

'So, these murders,' Emmeline said, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. 'We're thinking it's the same person?' Her eyes slid momentarily to Sirius before shifting back to Moody. 'Was there a werewolf missing upon registration at the last couple of full moons?'

Moody tightened his jaw, grinding out a negative from between clenched teeth, and Sirius bit down on the desire to scream 'I told you so!'

It was no secret that Sirius hated the mandatory Ministry lockdown regulations that had been forced upon registered lycanthropes at each full moon in an attempt to cut down on attacks. He'd vehemently opposed the new legislation that had been passed almost unanimously by the Wizengamot, arguing that the lycanthropes that dutifully appeared to be registered, or for lockdown, weren't the ones likely to give them trouble. In Sirius' mind, it was a waste of resources to force the werewolves to hole up in the Ministry every month when the funds it took to house them could have been directed at rounding up and prosecuting the rebel packs that gave the Ministry constant headaches. His objections had been shouted down, but not before he and Moody had clashed publicly over the difference of opinion.

'So, if you're right about these being werewolf attacks, and all the registered werewolves were accounted for...' Gideon Prewett said slowly from across the room.

'That means this was an attack by an unregistered werewolf,' Sirius finished for him, his grey eyes meeting Moody's, challenging the older man to admit that he'd been wrong. 'You're saying that, despite all the Ministry's so-called precautions to prevent full moon incidents, you believe that there's a rogue werewolf loose in Muggle London. Aren't you?'

Moody's eyes bored into him, resentment and anger flashing in their depths as he was forced to make the admission. 'Yes,' he said with a sharp nod. 'That's exactly what I'm saying.'

Sirius didn't have time to be smug as Moody continued, 'And since you've shown such a keen interest in the matter, Black, I'll be assigning you as Auror-in-charge.'

Moody turned away, a self-satisfied smirk on his face, and Sirius swore. 'Bloody prick,' he muttered under his breath, jabbing Fabian in the ribs with his elbow when the other man chuckled.

Remus watched as Molly shooed her children up the stairs to the bathroom, feeling a brief shot of guilt for the mess all the grease and oil from the car was going to make in her tub. Once they had the hood open to check out what 'made the car go', it had been impossible to keep the younger boys out of it. Bill and Charlie were happy to play with the gearstick and radio, and Percy had stood back with an expression of distaste of his face as Fred and George attempted to take the engine apart with their bare hands. Ron and Harry had done their part as well, pulling out the oil dipstick and smearing the slick fluid all over their faces. Remus had marched them back to the house and, while Molly tackled her brood with a brisk efficiency that intimidated him, Remus offered to tidy Harry up.

A quick Cleansing Charm got rid of the worst of the mess, although the sticky residue had to be washed off by hand. Remus turned away from the staircase and gave Harry's face a few swipes with a damp cloth before critically checking his work.

'Clean?' Harry asked, biting his lip nervously.

Remus gave the small boy a quick smile to reassure him that he wasn't annoyed about the mess then he banished the cloth to the laundry. 'All clean,' he announced, ruffling Harry's hair and making him giggle. 'You really liked that car, didn't you?'

Harry beamed and leaped to his feet. 'Brmm, brmm,' he said, turning an imaginary steering wheel as he raced around the room.

Remus laughed then quickly drew his legs in before Harry could trip over them. 'Watch out for Molly's knitting!' he called, watching Harry jump over a half-finished sweater before he swerved behind the couch. He came out the other side and 'brmm-ed' his way to the door, only to slam on the brakes when he almost ran right into the tall, slim figure lounging against the wall.

Remus' laughter faded as his eyes rose to the face attached to the legs. Sirius Black had returned as threatened.

'Sirius!'

Harry grabbed hold of Sirius' legs, hugging him briefly before pulling back. 'I drived a car!' he declared and, alarmed by the mis-telling of the story, Remus quickly stood.

'I drived... drove... the car, Harry,' he corrected, glancing at a seemingly amused Sirius before shifting his gaze back to Harry. 'You were a passenger. And you'd better go and say thank you and goodbye to Mrs Weasley before you leave.'

'I want to drive next time,' Harry said, circling around Sirius' legs then, with a loud screech, he took off up the stairs.

Left alone with Sirius, Remus hastily put as much space between them as he could. 'How is Lily?' he asked quietly, tidying Molly's magazines so he didn't have to look at the other man.

'She's fine,' Sirius said. 'Little Lottie Potter was born just an hour after Lily arrived at St. Mungo's. She's gorgeous – bald as a badger, though – and proud papa is currently having a heart attack over the thought of blokes like himself chasing his little girl in a few years time.'

Remus smiled politely. He didn't know James Potter very well, despite his growing friendship with Lily. 'Lottie? Short for Charlotte?' Sirius nodded and Remus gave a little shrug. 'Well, give Lily my best,' he told Sirius as he straightened and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. 'Let her know Harry behaved beautifully today.'

'I will. She's coming home this evening, all continuing to go well.'

There was an awkward moment of silence in which Remus was very aware of Sirius scrutinizing him. 'I'll... I'll call Harry down...' he began, but Sirius interrupted.

'I'm going to 'Skin' tonight.'

Remus started at the non sequitur. 'Ah, okay,' he said uncertainly. 'That's nice.'

'Want to go with me?'

Remus huffed out a surprised breath and blinked at Sirius. 'What?'

Sirius grinned and took a step closer. 'Would you like to go to 'Skin' with me tonight?' he asked slowly, enunciating every word clearly and with a smirk that made Remus want to both slap him and snog him stupid.

'No,' Remus said quickly, before his libido could override his common sense. 'Thank you, but no.'

His refusal didn't seem to dim Sirius' smile; if anything, the other man seemed to take Remus' knock back as a challenge.

'Come on, Remus,' he said, rolling Remus' name around his mouth like it was an exotic treat. 'You did say you should get out more often. Or was that get off more often?'

'Harry! Sirius is going now!' Remus called abruptly, glaring at Sirius.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and looked at Remus appreciatively. 'Not bad,' he said as they heard Harry clattering along the floor above them. 'But I don't give up, Remus. You may as well give in now so we can have some fun tonight.'

He took another step forward, close enough now that Remus could feel heat radiating from his skin. Remus held his ground, refusing to back down, and Sirius' smile widened. 'Oh, I like you, Remus Lupin,' he murmured as Harry thumped down the stairs. 'Come out with me. You already know you'll have a fantastic time.'

Remus' tongue was sliding across his lips before he could stop it. Sirius' eyes darkened as he watched Remus wet his lips then he raised his gaze once more. 'I'd like to put my mouth to good use this time,' he murmured, his words nearly lost under the sound of Harry entering the room.

Remus looked away, his breathing laboured and his pants far more constrictive than they had been a minute earlier. Why was he saying no? It didn't have to be a late night, and the adrenaline and endorphin rush that Sirius' heavy hints promised would certainly provide welcome relief from his pre-full moon aches...

Remus surreptitiously watched Sirius out of the corner of his eye as the other man gathered Harry's belongings. Gods, he was so bloody sexy, and Remus' skin burned at the memory of how he'd smelled, how he'd tasted in the dark, sweaty club.

I'm not doing this. I can't do this. I know nothing about him. It's too risky for more than a one night fling... isn't it?

'If you change your mind,' Sirius was saying as he bundled Harry towards the door.

'I have. I'll come,' Remus blurted out, surprising himself as much as Sirius. 'But it can't be a late one.'

Sirius looked stunned for a split second then grinned in delight. 'Meet you there at ten?' he asked, waiting for Remus' nod of confirmation before he picked Harry up and balanced him on his hip. 'Can't wait. See you, Remus.'

He gave Remus a wink then disappeared out the door, leaving Remus to sink down onto the couch and wonder where the hell his sanity had disappeared to when he needed it the most.


	3. Chapter 3

The club was more crowded than Sirius had anticipated which was both a good and bad thing. Good because he didn't stand out as he people-watched instead of dancing or trying to pull, and not so good because there was little chance of seeing someone acting suspiciously with all the men milling around.

And the killer could be at any number of Muggle gay clubs or pubs picking up his latest victim.

Despite Moody's hedging earlier today, Sirius was positive that the latest victim, Ben Holland, had, in fact, visited the nightclub the night of his death. His gut told him he was right; that the killer – he wasn't ready to declare a werewolf the culprit just yet – was bold and arrogant and territorial, and would keep killing in the same area until his prey dried up or until whatever game he was playing was no longer fun. Only then would the murders stop. Sirius was certain of it. He could feel it in his bones.

So, they had a wizard – possibly an unregistered werewolf – who had possibly infiltrated the Muggle London club scene and was taking out their gay men. Was this Muggle hatred from a homosexual or bisexual wizard, or did the prejudice run deeper? Were these attacks aimed specifically at gay men for a reason?

Sirius took a sip of his beer and let his mind wander as his eyes searched the club for anything suspicious. As a gay wizard, he was very aware of the attitude towards homosexuality amongst the elders of the wizarding world. It wasn't so much that the act was considered abhorrent or wrong – any boy who'd been to boarding school had had at least one sexual experience with another boy; it was like a rite of passage. It was more concern that an increasingly dwindling magical population would be hurt even further by encouraging openness in regards to sexuality.

In the past, gay wizards had taken a wife, lesbians, a husband, and they popped out an heir or two. No one questioned what happened behind closed doors, or what arrangements were made within a marriage as long as the couple contributed to the next generation. But now, wizards and witches were choosing to forgo the pretense and be open and honest about their sexuality, and concerns were being raised about what effect it might have on the future of their community.

That's why Sirius chose Muggle clubs: much less judgment and pressure to 'do the right thing'.

Sirius sighed. His family had threatened to disown him when he came out. He'd taken the decision away from them, though, and walked away himself, cutting off all ties. He couldn't say that he missed them all that much – James, Lily, and Peter were all the family he needed – but sometimes he watched James with Harry and a little part of him wondered what kind of father he might have been,what kind of life he might have had if he'd followed tradition instead of his heart.

He shook the shadow of melancholy off, telling himself to stop being so ridiculous. He was happy being out, and the fact he liked to sleep with men didn't mean he couldn't have a family one day, although the lack of a steady partner might be a problem. He didn't have any desire to be a single father.

And if I keep doing this – shagging strangers in clubs – I'm not likely to find a decent bloke either.

As if he'd read Sirius' mind, Remus appeared in the darkened doorway, hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket as he scanned the crowded room. Sirius waited until Remus looked his way then raised his arm and waved. Remus' face morphed into a combination of relief and reluctance when he saw the motion, and Sirius watched him move slowly through the crowd, as if his body still wasn't convinced about this course of action.

Sirius lifted his beer to his mouth again, swallowing down the last of the brew. He had never met one of his anonymous fucks after they'd both zipped up and done the awkward thank yous. Well, not that he was aware of, anyway. That night with Remus, though...

Sirius shifted in his seat as his cock stirred. It had been pretty bloody amazing by night club shag standards. They'd moved together like they'd been doing it forever, their bodies responding to every caress as if they'd spent years learning exactly where and how to touch each other. There was an undeniable chemistry between them and, although asking Remus out today had been an impulsive decision, Sirius had found himself looking forward to getting to know the other man better.

'Hey,' Remus said once he was close enough for Sirius to hear, a tentative smile on his face.

Sirius smiled brightly back at him, pleased when the uncertainty left Remus' face and his smile became more sure. 'Can I get you a drink?' he asked, and Remus nodded.

'Whatever you're having.'

Sirius got served quickly and returned to Remus, handing him a pint of beer before sitting down beside him. His knee pressed against Remus' and heat traveled from that point of contact to pool in Sirius' groin. He saw Remus hesitate as he lifted the beer to his lips then he finished the journey, leaving his leg where it was while he sipped at the drink. Sirius smirked, bringing the glass to his mouth to hide it.

'Busy for this time of night,' Remus noted, Sirius leaning close to hear him over the thumping music. 'I thought it would be quieter.'

'So did I,' Sirius admitted then he bumped Remus' shoulder with his own. 'I'm glad you came.'

A slow smile spread across Remus' face and he stared out at the dance floor as he quipped, 'Haven't yet.'

Sirius laughed, surprised but delighted at Remus' mischievousness. 'There's plenty of time,' he replied, a promissory note in his voice.

Remus chuckled, the sound making Sirius shiver. He pulled himself together, taking a fortifying mouthful of his drink before he said, buoyantly, 'So, tell me about yourself, Remus Lupin. What on earth inspired you to try and teach those Weasley boys anything?'

'They're a handful,' Remus admitted with a laugh. He moved so he was facing Sirius, their legs losing contact. 'I was going through a tough time – my parents died with a lot of debt, I lost my job because of all the time off I took to organise the funerals – and Molly and Arthur took me in, gave me a place to live and a bit of purpose. I owe them a lot.'

'They're good people,' Sirius agreed, thumb rubbing along the rim of his glass. 'How's Harry going?'

Remus grinned. 'He's fantastic,' he said enthusiastically. 'He's so inquisitive, and already showing signs of being really talented.'

'He's a brilliant kid,' Sirius said proudly.

'How do you know Lily and her husband?' Remus asked, cocking his head.

'We all went to school together. James is my best mate.' Sirius shifted to a more comfortable position, his spread legs now either side of Remus', knees bumping gently against each other. 'I'm the one who listened to his constant moaning about Lily not giving him the time of day.'

'She wasn't interested?' Remus asked, his eyes dropping momentarily to their legs before rising to meet Sirius' gaze. He smiled then took another sip of beer. 'How'd they end up together then?'

Pleased by Remus' acceptance of their proximity, he pushed a little harder, rubbing his leg slightly against the other man's as he answered. 'Lily finally gave into his charms...'

Remus looked sceptical and Sirius laughed. 'Yeah, okay. James pulled his head in and stopped acting like an arrogant prat. She gave him one chance to impress her and...' He shrugged. 'I guess he succeeded.'

'And what about you?' Remus asked, one hand playing with the cardboard coaster his drink rested on, the other coming to rest on his thigh – a scant inch from Sirius' knee. 'No significant other wondering where you are, or under the impression that you're working late?'

Sirius shook his head. 'I don't cheat,' Sirius told him soberly. 'I'm honest about who I am, and what I'm looking for.'

Remus looked at him thoughtfully. 'And what are you looking for, Sirius Black?'

Sirius sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, his own hand falling to his knee. 'Someone who understands the game,' he murmured, leaning in so Remus could hear him. As he moved, he shifted his hand, rubbing his forefinger lightly over Remus' knuckles. 'Someone who can give me what I want without there being strings attached, and someone who wants the same for themselves.'

'And what exactly do you want?'

Remus was so close now that Sirius could almost taste each breath, could almost feel the warmth of his body. 'Right now?' Sirius asked. 'You.'

Remus' mouth quirked up at the corners then, just as Sirius was going in for a kiss, Remus moved back. Sirius watched, bemused, as the other man nonchalantly lifted his drink to his mouth then placed it very carefully back on the coaster. He glanced at Sirius out of the corner of his eye and smirked. 'You're assuming that I want the same,' Remus retorted, a challenge in his eyes as he turned to look at Sirius. 'What makes you think I'm interested in seconds?'

Sirius licked his lips, his gaze falling to Remus' mouth. 'You're here. And I do owe you a reciprocal blow job.' Sirius' voice low and slightly gravelly with need. 'I always pay my debts.'

Remus exhaled, the tickling breath moist against Sirius' skin as he dipped his head, mouth brushing Sirius' jaw as he said hoarsely, 'You know, I did say I wanted an early night...'

Sirius shuddered as Remus nipped lightly at his jaw then stood abruptly, hand gripping Remus'. 'My place?' he suggested roughly, and Remus blinked in surprise.

'Not here?' he asked, looking towards the shadowy corridor where their last assignation had taken place.

'Not for what I've got in mind,' Sirius growled, and was pleased and so fucking turned on to see Remus' expression become predatory.

'Oh, yeah,' he agreed, tightening his fingers around Sirius'.

Sirius grinned and headed for the door, almost knocking over a few gyrating bodies as he dragged Remus along in his wake. Outside, the cool night air hit them like a punch after the accumulated body heat of the club, and cleared Sirius' head of the lusty haze that had been clouding it. He stopped suddenly at the mouth of the side alley, Remus slamming into his back.

The murder. Damn, he was supposed to be working...

'Shit, give a bloke some warning,' Remus complained then he caught sight of Sirius' conflicted face. 'What's wrong?' He frowned. 'Look, if you've changed your mind, I will call you many colourful names – cock tease being first on my list – but I'll live...'

'No, I just...' Sirius bit down hard on his lip. He was here unofficially. Why shouldn't he have some fun before the hard slog of a murder case began properly?

'Sirius?'

Sirius looked at Remus, at those blue eyes darkened with desire, that mouth so ready for Sirius' lips, and made his decision. He launched himself forward, kissing Remus with a voracity that obviously startled the other man, but, with barely a second's pause, Remus was kissing back just as fiercely. They stumbled back into the brick wall of the club, Remus' fists curling into the soft leather of Sirius' jacket as he ground his hips into Sirius' thigh. Sirius groaned into Remus' mouth, rocking his own hips forward to crash into the other man's.

'Gods,' hissed Remus, biting down hard on Sirius' lip. 'Get us out of here before I fuck you into this wall.'

Sirius' knees wobbled at the low growling tenor of Remus' voice, and he grabbed hold of the man's shoulders. He pushed Remus back a little, needing space to concentrate on his flat so he didn't splinch off something he was very much hoping to use in just a few minutes. He checked the immediate vicinity for witnesses then closed his eyes, tightened his grip on Remus' shoulders, and turned in a slow circle.

The two men appeared in a brightly lit hallway, Remus wincing a little at the sudden shift from dark to light before he yanked Sirius close and gave him a searing kiss. Sirius slid an arm around Remus' neck – partly to keep him near, partly to hold himself up on his still-shaking legs. He fumbled with his sleeve holster as he tried to extract his wand, unable to concentrate long enough to do the spells wandlessly. With a quick swish, the door flew open, and Sirius pulled Remus into his flat, kicking the door shut behind them.

Hands shoved impatiently at their clothing, and they left a trail of shoes and belts and shirts all the way up the hall. They crashed through the doorway of the bedroom and tumbled onto the bed, bare chests rubbing tantalisingly together as they kissed hungrily, messily. Sirius sank one hand into Remus' thick brown hair then dragged the other down Remus' spine to his arse, cupping the soft flesh and squeezing. Remus groaned, the noise reverberating through Sirius' body, then he tore his lips away.

Sirius made a noise of protest, raising his head off the mattress to try and capture that kiss-swollen mouth once more, but Remus latched onto the curve of Sirius' neck, sucking a bruise into the skin under his ear. His hands slipped between their bodies, busying themselves with Sirius' belt. Sirius arched up into the touch as Remus' fingers grazed his denim-covered erection then shoved the other man off him. He pushed Remus onto his back, grinning down at the surprised man for a second before straddling his thighs. His hands made short work of Remus' fly, tugging the jeans and briefs down far enough to release Remus' imprisoned cock. His mouth watered a little, watching the thick, hard flesh slap against Remus' belly before he bent to take the throbbing cock deep into his mouth.

Remus swore effusively. His hands caged Sirius' head, fingers threading into his hair as he rocked up into Sirius' mouth. Sirius held him down, fingers splayed wide across Remus' hips as he greedily tried to maintain contact with as much skin as possible. He swallowed Remus' cock down then drew back, the tip of his tongue flicking feather-light along the raised ridge of the crown.

Remus gasped then swatted at Sirius' head, pushing him away with a strangled, 'Sirius, wait!'

Sirius grinned up at him and Remus glared as he struggled to slide out of his pants. Sirius lifted himself off Remus' thighs to help strip them from his legs, nipping at his inner thigh and chortling at Remus' breathless cursing. Remus kicked the jeans away then gave Sirius a sudden shove. Sirius fell back onto the bed and, with a laugh at his surprised expression, Remus yanked down Sirius' tight jeans, muttering, 'Fucking sure of yourself going commando,' before he tugged the jeans free of Sirius' foot and roughly pushed his legs apart.

'You smell so good,' Remus moaned, dropping down to bury his face in the tight curls at Sirius' groin and nuzzling the base of his cock with his nose. 'I want to fucking eat you.'

Sirius chuckled then groaned when Remus licked a broad stripe along the fat vein on the underside of his cock before sucking two of his own fingers into his mouth, making lewd noises as he wet them.

'You think you're going to fuck me?' Sirius gasped out, feeling he should put up some kind of fight for position even as his arse clenched eagerly in anticipation.

Remus smirked and rubbed his spit-slicked fingers teasingly over Sirius' hole. 'Are you really going to say no to me now? he asked huskily, dipping a finger just inside Sirius' entrance, making Sirius' breath hitch audibly.

'Just get on with it,' Sirius demanded, bucking up in an attempt to force those probing fingers deeper.

Remus lowered his head, taking Sirius' cock into his mouth just as he thrust those fingers inside his arse, right up to the knuckle. Sirius cried out at the pain-tinged pleasure, his hips snapping up as Remus sucked hard, his fingers brushing over Sirius' prostate with every bob of his head. Remus' greedy mouth worked Sirius' cock like he'd been doing it forever, quickly bringing him so close to the edge that Sirius had to push him away far sooner than he wanted to.

Remus raised his head, a carnal, almost animalistic expression sharpening the angles of his face and exciting Sirius so badly that he had to grip the base of his cock firmly to stave off the threat of orgasm. 'Turn over,' Remus ordered, even as his large hands were encouraging Sirius onto his stomach.

Remus gripped Sirius' hips and tugged until Sirius was on his knees, his face pressed into the mattress. Sirius canted his hips, thrusting them into the air, then he let out a high-pitched whimper when he felt warm breath against his buttock. 'Remus,' he breathed reverently, fingers fisting in the bed sheets as he felt the first touch of Remus' tongue against his stretched pucker. 'Merlin, Remus...'

'Taste so good,' Remus whispered, mouth moving against Sirius' buttock before he bit down.

Sirius yelped, jolting from the sudden sting. Remus bathed the abused flesh with his tongue then went back to lapping at Sirius' hole, licking him open, stretching him, with fingers and tongue. Sirius was almost sobbing at the rush of sensation by the time Remus pulled back. He hissed through his teeth as cold lube slicked his hole, the feeling juxtaposed almost immediately by the burn of Remus' cock as it impaled him in one unrelenting push.

Sirius cried out, the intense stretch almost too much for him to bear. Remus seemed to sense this, pausing for a long moment until Sirius's body stopped clenching around his cock then he plastered himself over Sirius' back and whispered, 'Yeah?' into the hair at his nape.

Sirius murmured, 'Yeah,' back, feeling a hot, open-mouthed kiss being pressed against the jut of his first vertebrae before Remus withdrew from him completely then slammed back inside. Sirius moaned gutturally, pushing back, trying to get moremoremore of Remus inside him. Remus seemed to understand what he wanted and hooked his forearms under Sirius' shoulders, pulling him up and back until Sirius' back was pressed against the wall of Remus' chest.

'Oh, Gods, yes!' Sirius cried, reaching back to wrap his arms around Remus' body.

'Fuck yourself on me,' Remus whispered, nipping at Sirius' earlobe. He held Sirius tight to his chest with one arm, sliding the other between Sirius' spread thighs to roll each testicle between his thumb and forefinger. He nibbled a trail along the tense cord of Sirius' neck, making them both groan, then Sirius braced himself with a hand on the headboard and moved; rising and falling, letting Remus' cock slide almost entirely out of him before he sank back down and let it fill him.

They moved sinuously together, Remus breathing hard in Sirius' ear as Sirius panted, short and sharp. When Remus' hand shifted from Sirius' balls to wrap around his cock, Sirius keened and rocked forward into his fist. The slap of sweaty flesh and their ragged breathing was punctuated by long, drawn out moans as they drove each other closer and closer to the point of no return and then suddenly, with a clever twist of Remus' wrist, Sirius was right there, falling over the edge with a breathless recitation of Remus' name.

Remus grunted then growled out, 'Sirius!', one last powerful thrust bringing about his own end. Sirius, his satiated body boneless in repletion, slumped back against Remus, letting the other man take all his weight as he rode out his orgasm. He felt Remus finally relax behind him, his breath hot on his neck as he trembled with the aftershocks. They fell forward, Remus' cock dislodged in the process, and Sirius landed face first on the mattress, feeling the bed depress next him as Remus collapsed.

There was silence while they caught their breath and feeling returned to Sirius' extremities. As soon as he was capable of movement, Sirius turned his head to look at Remus, smiling when he saw the other man staring wide-eyed back at him.

'We're fucking fantastic at this,' Sirius said enthusiastically, and Remus laughed, the carefree sound making Sirius' grin widen.

'There isn't a word for how good we are at this,' Remus corrected, reaching out to flick a lock of dark hair off Sirius' face, the backs of his fingers brushing over Sirius' cheekbone.

Sirius made a noise of agreement, his eyes closing at the touch. After a slight hesitation, those long fingers combed gently through Sirius' hair. 'Mm, 's nice,' Sirius murmured, reaching out to touch Remus' wrist, skimming his fingers along the other man's arm. His fingers touched smoother, tougher flesh and his eyes opened.

'You've got scars,' Sirius mumbled sleepily, tracing the line of one silvery mark.

'Accident,' Remus said shortly then he rolled closer and kissed Sirius so gently it made him ache. 'I should go.'

'No,' Sirius objected, tightening his grasp on Remus' arm. 'Stay. I still haven't had a chance to pay you back properly for the other night.' He let go of Remus' bicep and ran his hand through his hair. 'I promise if you give me an hour's rest, I'll be ready for more.'

Remus raised an eyebrow. 'An hour?'

'Hey, it's been a long day and we were really good and I was doing most of the work there in the end.'

Remus chuckled and leaned in for another kiss, this one just as sweet as the last, but this time, it lingered. Their lips slid together languidly as their tongues explored, taking the time to discover all the nuances of each other's mouths. Sirius pulled Remus in closer, their bodies flush, and slipped a leg between his thighs. Remus moaned in appreciation, rolling them so he was lying across Sirius' chest.

The kiss deepened, and Remus stroked his hand over Sirius' hip, spreading it over his flank possessively. Sirius surprised himself by pressing closer, encouraging Remus to hold him nearer. He'd never really liked the after part of sex, but this... this was nice. Really nice.

Remus kissed the corner of Sirius' mouth then sucked softly at the skin over his pulse point. Sirius let his head fall back, tangling his fingers in the hair at Remus' nape. He felt the rumble of Remus' laughter thrumming over his hypersensitive skin and murmured, 'What?'

'You underestimated your recovery time,' Remus answered, rolling his hips against the evidence of Sirius' growing arousal.

Remus' own thickening length pressed into Sirius' thigh, slipping between his legs and nudging his balls. Sirius smiled. 'I'm not the only one with a short refractory period.'

Remus lifted his head and grinned at him. 'I'm insatiable, baby. Didn't I mention that?'

Sirius laughed and pulled Remus back down, kissing him soundly. 'Prove it.'


	4. Chapter 4

'Morning, all!'

'Shhh!'

Sirius came to an abrupt halt just inside the Potter house, staring at James and Peter in consternation. 'What?'

'The baby's asleep,' James hissed, while Peter glared at Sirius. 'Keep your voice down.'

Sirius looked from James to Peter with raised eyebrows and stepped into the room. 'Okay,' he said, drawing the word out. 'When did you two become the fun police?'

'When Lily turned into a hormone-driven nut case,' Peter muttered, wincing at the elbow James planted in his side.

'Lottie hasn't gotten the hang of sleeping just yet,' James told him, flopping into an armchair. 'We're buggered... and not in the way you enjoy,' he added when Sirius opened his mouth to contribute a lewd comment.

Sirius laughed and sank down on the couch, Peter collapsing next to him. 'So, I'm guessing you don't want to hear about the bloody incredible sex I had last night,' he taunted, grin widening when James glared daggers at him.

'Sex... Gods, I remember sex,' Peter moaned, slumping back against the cushions. 'I'll take the bait. At the moment, I'm so bloody desperate that I'll settle for living vicariously through you.'

'I've been pretty hard up as well,' James broke in. 'Hello? Pregnant wife threatening my nads every time I looked at her? But I'm still not so desperate that I want to hear about your night of debauchery with some stranger you picked up in a bar.'

'Oh, it wasn't a stranger,' Sirius said with a smirk. 'You know him – although I did originally pick him up in a bar. Or did he pick me up? Don't quite remember.'

'Sirius!'

'Right,' Sirius said, laughing at Peter's frustrated expression. 'It was Remus Lupin.'

'Who?' Peter asked, puzzled, but James sat up ramrod straight.

'Remus Lupin?' he exclaimed. 'As in Harry's tutor?'

Sirius just grinned, and James groaned. 'Oh, no, no, no,' he mumbled, shaking his head. 'You cannot shag one of Lily's friends. You just can't.'

'You're shagging Harry's tutor?' Peter asked, looking curiously from one man to the other.

'Yep,' Sirius said, triumphantly.

'No,' James insisted. 'Sirius, Lily loves this bloke. Seriously, she loves him so much I was actually a bit... jealous until she told me he was a member of your club. You can't fuck around with him.'

'Why not?' Sirius asked in confusion.

'Because you never have serious relationships,' James declared with a dramatic flourish. 'Because if you upset this Remus bloke, Lily will want your balls and she will force me to participate in removing them.'

'Remus is a big boy,' Sirius told him, winking in case James didn't get the double entendre. He did, hiding his face as he groaned. 'He knows what he's doing and can look after himself.'

'Remus? Tell me you are not talking about Remus Lupin?'

All three men turned towards the staircase, seeing a pale-faced Lily standing half-way down, her arms crossed over her chest.

'Oh, she's gonna kick your arse now,' James muttered.

'You didn't sleep with him?' Lily asked, ignoring James as she stared at Sirius intently. 'Sirius...'

'Lil, I adore you as much as I possibly can considering you possess body parts that make my cock shrivel up, but who I shag has nothing to do with you. Remus is a grown man...'

'You can't see him again.'

Sirius was taken aback by the determination in her voice. He looked over his shoulder at James, who looked equally as startled.

'Lily...'

'I mean it, Sirius,' she said, her voice cracking a little. 'There are things...' She bit her lip. 'Please? Don't see him again.'

'Lily,' interrupted James. 'It really is none of our business.'

'Trust me, Sirius,' she said, continuing as if James hadn't spoken. 'Nothing good will come from this. You could both be hurt very badly.' She came down the stairs and cupped Sirius' face. 'This won't end well for either of you.'

Sirius frowned. He'd known Lily for over a decade. She was hiding something. 'What aren't you telling me?'

Lily shook her head. 'It's nothing,' she said, face pained. 'But I know you, and I know Remus, and this has disaster written all over it.'

'It's just sex, Lily.'

'It's never just about sex with Remus,' she told him, a tiny smile on her face. 'He doesn't do anything casually. That's why you should stop this now before you both get in too deep.'

She kissed Sirius chastely on the top of his head before heading into the kitchen. The trio sat in silence for a moment before Peter and Sirius turned to James.

'What the hell...?' Sirius began, but James held up his hands defensively.

'I don't know,' he said, looking as confused as Sirius. 'I... She knows Remus pretty well. I guess she thinks you aren't compatible.'

'It's just sex!'

'Then does it matter if you see him again? Just pick up another bloke next time you're out,' Peter suggested then yelped in surprise when Sirius rounded on him.

'She has no right interfering in my life,' he hissed, and Peter shrugged.

'Well, maybe it's not your life she's concerned about,' he suggested. 'She's friends with this Remus. Maybe she thinks he'll want more than sex and it'll be one big mess.'

'Harry can't stop raving about this bloke,' James broke in. 'If things get... messy, I don't want him upset because you fucked the wrong man.'

Sirius threw up his hands then pushed himself to his feet. 'Look, it was one night. Well, one night plus that... thing at the club, but this isn't a love story. This is sex. Fucking spectacular sex, but just sex.'

'So leave him alone and find someone else,' James said, standing also. 'Look, Sirius. You know Lily, and you know she wouldn't ask you to do this without a reason. Maybe she's right.'

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. James and Peter were right. It really shouldn't matter who he got off with, but Remus - him and Remus together - were bloody incredible, and he wasn't ready to say goodbye to that without a good reason.

'Yeah, maybe,' he grumbled, avoiding meeting James or Peter's eye. 'Look, I'd better go. I'm on my lunch break, and we've got that case...'

'The murder case? At the Muggle gay bar?' Peter asked, and Sirius glanced at him.

'You know about that?'

Peter nodded. 'Moody contacted me and asked me to look at the second victim. I'm heading to the morgue now, if you want to tag along.'

'Sure.' Sirius reached out and cuffed James around the head. 'I'll see you later. Give the kids a kiss for me.'

'Sirius...'

'Tell Lily I'll think about it.'

James rolled his eyes. 'I plan on staying well away from Lily this afternoon,' he muttered. 'You know I'm going to be punished because you can't keep it in your pants?'

Sirius smiled as he followed Peter out of the house. 'And that is why I shag men.'

Peter poked at a long, jagged slash across the dead man's chest, making Sirius grimace. 'Pete,' he murmured in disgust.

Peter looked up and chuckled, glancing back down at the body then making a note on a file. 'It's not as gruesome as it seems,' he told Sirius, who was looking a little green. 'This kind of work is actually really interesting.'

'Whatever turns you on,' Sirius muttered. 'Are you drawing any actual conclusions or just getting off on playing with a dead man?'

With a sigh, Peter turned to Sirius. 'It was a werewolf that did this,' he said baldly. 'These slashes in the skin... They're distinctive, Sirius. The bite marks aren't complete – the victim must have struggled, causing the skin to tear - but it's conclusive enough.'

'Godric,' Sirius muttered, running a hand through his hair. 'So there's a werewolf loose in London.'

Peter frowned at the body. 'It's odd there's been only one victim found each time,' he mused. 'You would think this bloke wouldn't have been the only person around, and there's no evidence of attempted... consumption. If the wolf was hungry and killing for food, I would have expected to see more missing parts.'

'I researched werewolf behaviour when I was trying to get that lockdown legislation repealed,' Sirius told him. 'There is anecdotal evidence that they don't always hunt as indiscriminately as everyone thinks. I mean, yes, a hungry werewolf will kill anything edible in it's path, but there might be a case for werewolves being able stalk a chosen victim.'

Peter looked unsure. 'I thought that werewolves lost control of their minds during the full moon?'

'They lose control of their human mind,' Sirius corrected. 'There was a case - twenty years ago now - where a werewolf appeared to have hunted down the child of a Ministry worker that did him wrong. He bit the child and turned him. It seemed to be deliberate targeting. He chose his victim. I don't know how, but it can happen, I'm sure of it.'

'What happened to the child? Did he survive?'

Sirius shrugged. 'I don't know. The family disappeared after snatching him from St. Mungo's.' He sighed. 'So potentially, we have a werewolf that is targeting gay men roaming freely through London on the night of the full moon. I need to do some more research. If I can figure out how they track their victims, I might be able to stop another attack.'

Peter frowned. 'There's a full moon tomorrow night,' he said doubtfully. 'That's not a lot of time to get ready.'

'I know. I'm going to organise a stakeout at 'Skin', but if we could figure this out before then...'

Peter turned back to the dead man, pulling a sheet over his mutilated body. Sirius watched in relief as he levitated the man back into his stasis chamber. 'Pete,' he said suddenly, his mind wandering back to the altercation at the Potters'. 'Do you think Lily's really worried about Remus getting too serious? Or do you reckon she might have a bit of a crush on him?'

Peter laughed, washing his hands quickly then drying them off on a towel as he turned to smile at Sirius. 'I think that Lily likes this bloke and doesn't want him to get hurt,' he replied then he tilted his head curiously. 'You don't usually go back for a second go at your club conquests. You like this Remus bloke?'

'If I didn't like him...'

'I don't mean like as in you like his tight arse and big cock,' Peter interrupted. 'I mean, you met him by accident after your first fumble and liked what you saw enough to arrange to get together again. Even if it was just for another shag, you've never done that before.'

'He was a good shag,' Sirius shrugged.

Peter snorted. 'You've had good shags before,' he said dismissively. 'I should know; you make us listen to every single detail of each encounter. Look, if Lily says this bloke doesn't do casual very well, you should be running a mile. Instead, you're resisting dumping him and moving on. That's not like you.'

Sirius scowled, and Peter raised an amused eyebrow. 'Just making an observation,' he said placatingly.

'Yeah, well, don't,' Sirius muttered in irritation, turning on his heel and stalking towards the door. Peter didn't say a lot usually, but when he did, it was often spot on. A little too spot on for Sirius' comfort right now.

Concentrate on this case. You won't have much time for any kind of shagging until it's over.

'I'd better get back to work,' he said as he reached the exit. 'See ya.'

'Let me know how you go with this case,' Peter called after him. 'I'm curious now.'

Sirius waved an acknowledgment and turned on the spot, Apparating back to the Ministry to spend the afternoon researching and very deliberately not thinking about Remus Lupin.


	5. Chapter 5

'Aren't you supposed to be organising surveillance?' Moody asked, coming up behind Sirius in the Ministry research room.

Sirius sighed and marked his page before turning to face his supervisor. 'I've already organised the surveillance,' he told him, unable to keep the impatience out of his voice. 'We're set to go in tonight and see if there's anyone immediately recognisable as a known troublemaker, but chances are this bloke is going to be Glamoured right down to his eyelashes.'

'So what's all this then?' Moody asked, gesturing towards the pile of books on the desk behind Sirius.

'I'm trying to figure out if there's another way to go about this,' Sirius said wearily, bracing himself for Moody's reaction. 'Or any more evidence to support the theory that werewolves sometimes target and hunt specific prey. I've got one case study, but...' He shrugged, irritated that he hadn't been able to find more examples.

Moody was quiet for a moment then he sat down in the chair next to Sirius, rubbing his face tiredly while Sirius stared at him. 'Are you alright?' he asked, a little disturbed at the sight of the usually indestructible Alastor Moody showing weakness. 'Is there something...?'

'I remember there was a case several years ago of a werewolf attacking the son of a Ministry worker involved in trying to bring charges against him...' Moody said slowly.

'That's the one I'm talking about,' Sirius interrupted. 'The family disappeared after the attack. I'm trying to find any other cases that might be applicable but that were swept under the carpet.'

Moody stared at the open pages of the books scattered across the table and exhaled long and slow. 'I knew him – the father and the child. Not well – back then I was younger than you are now, just a trainee - but...'

He cleared his throat and jabbed a finger at the nearest book. 'This is why I agreed with the Ministry's attempts to curb werewolves during the full moon, Black. There is so much we assume about their behaviour. We think the worst thing they could do is go on an uncontrolled rampage if they change too close to civilisation.' He shook his head. 'If they can hunt specific prey... If they can somehow consciously choose a target in animal form... It's a terrifying thought.'

'You believe that the wolf can act independently then? That this could be deliberate tracking?' Sirius asked, surprised Moody was agreeing with him.

Moody looked at him, his brown eyes almost black with a cold anger. 'I held that little boy after he was bitten,' he said bitterly. 'I've never believed the attack on him was just a coincidence as the official report claimed. This is why we need to round up the werewolves and register them, why we need to have them in secure, locked cells for the change...'

'Those people you're locking in the cells are the ones who are doing the right thing,' Sirius argued. 'They aren't the ones forming feral packs, they aren't out hunting and attacking. It's the packs and the rogues we needed to concentrate on, not the werewolves doing the right thing, who don't want to hurt anyone.'

Moody stood up, his chair scraping along the floor with a screech. 'Registration and lockdown is a start,' he said, his tone indicating the discussion was over. He inclined his head towards the books. 'Forget that for now. Go and get a few hours rest before the stakeout.'

Sirius, shaking with frustration, watched him go then turned back to the books and continued to read.

Remus yawned, closing his eyes as he reclined on his bed. It was only early evening, but he ached from last night's strenuous, but pleasurable activity as well as suffering the usual, and not as welcome, pre-moon pains. He stretched gently, relishing the stretch and pull of his bunching muscles. There was a knock on the door of his tiny hut and he called out, 'Come in', thinking it would be Molly trying to tempt him into eating using her incredible chicken pie as bait.

It wasn't a flurry of fussing admonishments and wild red hair that entered, but dark seduction in the form of Sirius Black. Remus sat up, eyeing Sirius with a combination of delight and suspicion. 'What are you doing here?'

Sirius smiled, taking in the small lean-to that Arthur had magicked onto the main house for Remus. 'Molly told me you were out here,' he said, his voice sending a shiver down Remus' spine. 'Said to send you in for something to eat.'

'I'm not hungry,' Remus said automatically then his heart began to beat faster as Sirius moved closer.

'I am,' he said, lowering himself to the bed and touching Remus' cheek lightly. 'But not for food.'

Remus swallowed hard, his physical discomfort forgotten at the feel of Sirius' skin against his own. 'Do the cheesy lines ever work?' he asked hoarsely.

Sirius chuckled as he lowered his head. 'Always,' he boasted before covering Remus' mouth firmly with his own.

'Where did you say you got these scars?' Sirius asked, craning his neck to try and see the mess of scars he could feel under his fingers. 'Accident, wasn't it? What kind...?'

'I don't like talking about it,' Remus muttered, pushing Sirius' hand down to rest on his arse. 'I much prefer your hand there.'

Sirius curved his hand over the swell of Remus' bare buttock, index finger stroking along the crease, and squeezed. 'Mm, so do I,' he said, angling his head so he could kiss Remus, his spent cock twitching a little at the taste of his own come on Remus' tongue and Remus' on his.

Eventually, he pulled back, finally remembering the reason he'd come to see Remus today (before he got distracted by the beautiful long lines of his body). 'Why does Lily think we'd be... messy?' he asked, watching a crease form between Remus' eyes.

'Huh?'

'I told Lily we'd fucked and she went mental. So? Why does she think we shouldn't be doing something that is so much fun?'

Remus licked his swollen lips and cleared his throat. 'Probably because I don't do casual very well,' he said honestly, avoiding thinking about what other reason Lily might have for warning Sirius off. 'It's one thing to pick up the occasional bloke in a bar – there's only so much celibacy a bloke can take, after all - but I generally don't like casual arrangements. I'm usually a relationship type of bloke.'

Sirius considered him for a long moment before he spoke. 'No wonder she told me to leave you alone,' he murmured, absently curling a lock of Remus' hair around his finger. 'You're my complete opposite.'

'I know what this is, Sirius,' Remus said hastily. 'And I'm not getting attached. The rules are very clear.'

'I told her that,' Sirius murmured, scratching a fingernail over the light stubble on Remus' jaw. 'She still wasn't happy.'

Remus rolled onto his back, careful not to fall off the single-sized mattress as he did. 'Do you always do what Lily tells you to do?' he asked mildly, discomforted by the gnawing feeling in his stomach and not wanting to think too hard about the exact reason for it.

Sirius propped himself up on an elbow, smiling down at Remus. 'Nope,' he said, dragging a hand over Remus' chest, watching as the touch raised goosebumps over the fair skin. 'Never, in fact.' His hand drifted lower, over Remus' stomach. 'As long as we both follow the rules, we'll get along just fine.'

That strong hand closed expertly around Remus' swelling cock and, when Sirius leaned in to trace the shell of his ear, Remus desperately hoped that he would be able to stick to the rules.

Remus wasn't particularly surprised to see Lily Potter at his door the next morning. 'I know what you are going to say, Lily,' he began, but she interrupted him.

'No, I don't think you do,' she retorted, pushing him gently back inside his little shack and shutting the door behind herself. 'Remus, there's something you should know about Sirius.'

'Look, I know he's a 'shag 'em and leave 'em' kind of guy,' he said with a shrug. 'But I can handle myself...'

'He's an Auror.'

Remus froze, his breath catching in his throat. 'He... what?'

Lily's green eyes were sympathetic as she put a steadying hand on Remus' arm. 'He's an Auror,' she repeated softly. 'That's why I was trying to chase him off. Not to protect him, or protect your heart – although he will break it if you give it to him, Remus – but to protect your life.'

'You didn't tell him...'

'No,' she whispered. 'I promised...'

Remus' knees gave out, and he fell heavily onto his bed. 'It was just... It was one quick fumble at a club,' he told her, his voice faint as he tried to come to terms with the fact the man he'd been having such an amazing time with could cost him his freedom, his life. 'But then he appeared here and he asked me out...'

He looked up at Lily, begging her with his eyes to understand why he deceived her friend. 'I know I should have refused him. That I should have at least tried to warn him about what he was sleeping with...'

'Remus.' Lily sat beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. 'I'm worried about you. Sirius is big enough to take care of himself. But every time he's with you, the greater the chance that he'll start piecing the puzzle together. And he's smart, Remus. He will work it out eventually, and he'll feel honour-bound to turn you in as an unregistered werewolf.'

'And Molly and Arthur will face charges for harbouring me, won't they?' Remus put his face in his hands. 'Merlin, do I pick the wrong blokes or what?'

Lily chuckled half-heartedly, and Remus looked up, smiling wanly before he hugged her. 'Thank you,' he said into her hair. 'I'll tell him it's over if I see him again.'

'You'll see him,' she said, her face sorrowful as she pulled back. 'I'm sure of it. I've never seen him like this before. He told me this morning that he intended to see you for as long as it suited you both and I could shove my opinion.' She scowled. 'I'll make him suffer for that.'

'I suppose our arrangement will no longer suit me then,' Remus said, trying to smile, but the thought of not seeing Sirius again hurt more than it should have.

Gods, this is happening just in time. He's starting to get under my skin.

'I'm so sorry, Remus,' Lily murmured, and Remus nodded, feeling nauseous in a way that had nothing to do with the impending full moon.

Oh, who am I kidding? He's already under my skin. Damn it!

'Yeah,' he whispered miserably. 'So am I.'

Sirius yawned as he sprawled across the Potters' couch, stomach full after raiding their fridge for breakfast. 'That was a colossal waste of valuable shagging time,' he declared wearily, rubbing his gritty eyes. 'Never go to a club with Frank Longbottom. He is the biggest fucking downer.'

'Noted,' James said dryly, bouncing on his toes as he tried to rock Lottie to sleep after her early morning rising. 'Don't you have a home to go to?'

'No food in my fridge,' Sirius explained, another yawn distorting the words. 'And I wanted to see Lily before she took Harry to Molly's...'

'He isn't going to Molly's today,' James said in a voice a pitch higher and more musical than his usual tone. He craned his neck to try and see Lottie's face. 'It's his day off. Remus, that is.'

'Oh,' Sirius murmured, watching James breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Lottie's closed eyes then move across to the portable cot in the corner of the living room. 'I didn't know he was having a day off.'

James carefully lowered the baby to the mattress. 'That's because you don't use your mouths for communication,' he said in a singsong voice as he straightened, watching Lottie carefully. 'If you talked as much as you fucked, you'd know he has a few days off every month.'

'I'm telling Lily you swore in front of the baby,' Sirius retorted, in the same pleasant, rhythmic tone James was using.

James flipped a two finger salute at him as he slowly backed away from the cot. 'Lily's really got her knickers in a knot about you and Remus,' he said, lowering himself cautiously into the armchair and exhaling in relief. 'Before she went to the shops just now, she asked me to talk you out of seeing him.'

Sirius struggled to sit up on the soft couch. 'What? What's going on with her?' he asked indignantly, and James shrugged.

'She won't give me a straight answer,' he said darkly. Sirius could see his irritation and felt a shot of guilt that his sex life was causing James trouble. 'I'm starting to wonder if... well, he might not fancy her, but...'

He bit his lip, and Sirius rushed to reassure him. 'Lily loves you,' he said supportively. 'Merlin knows why – you're such a bloody prat – but she loves you. I just... I wish I knew what was going on. I really don't need more mystery and intrigue in my life right now. Sex is supposed to be simple.'

James frowned, but tactfully changed the subject to something less personal. 'How's the murder case going anyway?'

Sirius sighed heavily then told James all about the night he'd spent doing reconnaissance at 'Skin' with a very heterosexual Frank Longbottom. 'You should have seen him, James,' Sirius laughed. 'When I made him check down the passages where... well, you know... I thought he might choke on his tongue. Although, I'm sure I saw a distinct bulge in his jeans when he came back...'

'Shut up!' James yelped, putting his hands over his ears. 'I don't need to hear about Frank's bulges.'

Sirius snorted and stretched. 'The full moon is tonight,' he said around a yawn. 'And we don't have a clue what to do except go to 'Skin' and hope he turns up again.'

'Wouldn't fancy taking on a fully grown werewolf,' James said, voice laced with concern. 'You be careful tonight.'

Sirius chuckled. 'Anyone would think you were worried about me, Potter,' he said then pushed his exhausted body off the couch, yawning widely once again. 'I'm going home to sleep for a week. Thanks for breakfast.'

He heard Lottie wake with a loud cry as he reached the front door, and laughed quietly to himself as he Apparated to his flat.

'Lottie asleep?' Lily asked as she walked into the kitchen an hour later.

'Finally,' James moaned, dropping a kiss on her temple. 'Want a cup of tea?'

Lily nodded, leaning back against the counter as James poured the beverage. 'Where's Harry?'

'Peter's taken him for the day,' James told her, spooning two teaspoons of sugar into the hot, dark liquid. 'He was taking him to Hogsmeade.' He chose not to mention the sale at Zonko's and handed her the sweet tea. 'Just you and me, babe.'

Lily smiled as she sipped the tea. 'And Lottie,' she reminded him. 'And probably Sirius again at some point. That man seems to have a sixth sense for when we're trying to fool around.'

'No,' said James, drawing her into an embrace. 'He left not long after you did, and is planning on sleeping all day. We can make out like teenagers on our own couch.'

Lily pulled back a little, her brow creased. 'Did you talk to him? About Remus?'

James' face went stony, and he dropped his arms, turning back to the counter. 'No, I didn't,' he said snappishly, replacing the lid on the sugar pot a little harder than necessary. 'For Godric's sake, Lily, can't you just let Remus look after himself? If he doesn't want to sleep with Sirius, let him grow a pair and tell Sirius himself.'

'It's not that,' Lily began, but she jumped in shock when James slammed his open hand down on the counter.

'Right,' he said, his voice full of barely constrained anger. 'You are going to tell me exactly what is going on here because it seems to me that you are showing a hell of a lot of interest in a man who isn't your husband.' He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as a sudden thought struck him. 'That's where you went this morning, isn't it? To the Weasley place to see him?'

'James...'

'Tell me what's going on, Lily,' he said furiously, crossing his arms over his chest. 'Now.'


	6. Chapter 6

Sirius listened with half and ear as Frank relayed the results of their wasted night to Moody and Fabian Prewett. After managing a few hours sleep, he'd gone back into work to discuss strategy for the night's stakeout.

'The time of death coincides with closing time,' Moody told them, reading from the file. 'But if we believe Black's theory that this werewolf is going after a particular person rather than killing randomly, then we can't really rely on that as a clue. It could happen at any time. We'll search the club thoroughly as soon as the moon rises, looking for familiar faces, and we'll need to have people outside from open to close to watch the surrounding area.'

'I'd rather be outside this time,' Frank stuttered, and Sirius smirked.

'Too hot for you, Frank?'

Frank flushed and this time, Fabian joined in Sirius' mirth. 'We'll let you stay outside this time, Frank,' he said as he winked at Sirius. 'Why should you get all the fun? I'll come with you, Black.'

'Not on a first date,' Sirius retorted, batting his eyelashes dramatically. 'I'm not that kind of girl.'

'That's not what I hear,' Fabian said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

'Alright, that's enough of that,' Moody declared as Sirius and Fabian broke down in loud guffaws. 'Minds back on the job.'

They settled down to finish the arrangements for the night and, as the clock ticked closer to moon rise, Sirius fidgeted and squirmed with nervous energy, wishing he could go and work some of it off with Remus. He twirled his wand between his fingers, watching a rainbow of sparks cascade from the end as he thought about what James had said earlier. Why was Lily so set against him and Remus? Not that there was a 'him and Remus', but it irritated him that she was so adamantly opposed to the very idea of them. Was Sirius not good enough for her friend? She said Remus didn't do casual, but hell, Sirius wasn't incapable of commitment.

I just haven't found the right bloke yet.

Sirius bit at his lip, thinking. He and Remus had fun together – more fun than Sirius could recall having with someone other than James or Peter for a long time – and, as an incredible bonus, they also had mind-melting sex. Sirius couldn't stop the satisfied smile from forming, remembering the previous evening's explorations. He could almost feel Remus' mouth stretched around his shaft, could almost taste Remus' come on his own tongue as they licked and sucked each other to almost simultaneous completion. His cock hardened and he couldn't help himself, sliding his hand under the desk to palm the growing erection.

'Black!'

Sirius jumped, hand swiftly dropping from his crotch as Moody approached. 'Y...Yeah?' he stammered, cursing to himself as he felt his face heat up.

Moody frowned at him for a long moment then rolled his eyes. 'We're moving out in ten,' he told him, turning to leave. 'If you need to do anything – go to the bathroom, for instance - do it now.'

He strode away and Sirius groaned. 'Fuckfuckfuck,' he muttered, punctuating his words by hitting his head on his desk.

'Sirius?'

With a growl, Sirius looked up, expecting to see Moody with another snarky remark. 'James?' he said in surprise when he saw his friend staring at him in confusion.

'What were you doing?' James asked, but Sirius just shook his head.

'Don't worry about it,' he said hurriedly. 'What are you doing here?'

James' lips tightened – never a good sign. 'Can we talk somewhere? Now?'

'We're about to leave...'

'It's about Remus.'

Sirius felt an inexplicable frisson of fear and dread. 'Is he alright?'

'Yes. No. Um, can we just...?'

James waved towards the doors along the side of the room and Sirius nodded, standing and leading James to the conference room. He shut the door behind them and looked at James, bracing himself.

'Okay. Spill.'

James' face darkened, and he looked everywhere but at Sirius. 'I finally got Lily to tell me the real reason behind her insistence that you don't see Remus,' he said, watching his own shuffling feet. 'Sirius... Gods, I'm sorry...'

'James, for Merlin's sake...'

'Lily was worried you'd find out about him and turn him in.' James face looked pained and his words spilled quickly from his lips. 'He's a werewolf, Sirius. He... He's an unregistered werewolf.'

'Black? Did you finish your checks?'

Sirius blinked and straightened on his stool, nodding at Fabian before he reached for his drink.

'You're not supposed to actually drink that,' Fabian admonished before swiping the beer out of Sirius' hand and taking a sip himself. 'It's for show.'

'Well, I'm drinking it for show,' Sirius said grumpily, watching as the first flush of club goers fought to gain the barman's attention. 'Come on. There's nothing more we can do in here.'

'Not going to take me out the back?' Fabian pouted playfully, and Sirius rolled his eyes.

'You're not my type, Prewett,' Sirius retorted, pushing himself to his feet. 'Let's go.'

They exited into the cooler night air and took their places in the nearby alley, casting spells and charms to hide their scent and to help them blend into the shadows.

'You okay?' Fabian whispered, as they tried to get comfortable in the tight nook. 'You haven't tried to cop a feel yet.'

Sirius snorted. 'Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.'

He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes tight. When he was small, his uncle Alphard used to tell him that if he just closed his eyes and wished hard enough, anything was possible. Perhaps if he wished hard enough now, the last few hours would turn out to be nothing but a terrible nightmare.

Sirius' second thought after James told him about Remus' secret was that it was all too plausible that Remus - sweet, cheeky, so-good-in-bed Remus – could be the man the entire Ministry Auror squad was hunting, the man that, in his animal form, had ripped apart two innocent men. Sirius found it hard to wrap his head around the idea that someone he knew, someone he'd spent time with and was growing to trust, could do something so hideous.

His first thought, however, had been 'How could he do this to me?'

Sirius' fists clenched and he fought the urge to slam them into the unforgiving brick just so he'd feel something other than betrayed. Hell, he doubted simply pounding the wall with his fists would accomplish the level of oblivion he needed right now. Perhaps if he used his head instead? Anything to avoid the epiphany he could feel coming, but that he was fighting with every ounce of strength he had.

I have feelings for Remus Lupin.

Damn it.

There was a shuffling noise off to the left, and Sirius' eyes snapped open in time to see a rat scurry across the alley. He shook off the haze of hurt surrounding him and refocused his attention on the job at hand. As James had worriedly pointed out earlier, if the rogue werewolf was indeed Remus, and he was hunting specific men, Sirius himself could very well be his next target.

Trying to keep himself alive would be a great way of avoiding thinking about why he felt like his world had shattered.

Lily bit her lip, watching as James paced the room. 'You'll wear a hole in the carpet,' she said lightly, her hesitant smile fading at the dark look she received. 'James, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say...'

'You seem to have had a lot of trouble saying anything of actual importance lately, Lily,' he snarled, whirling around and stalking over to the foot of the bed. 'You forgot to tell me that Harry's teacher was a werewolf, you forgot to tell me that he was unregistered, you forgot to tell me that you were contributing to the concealment of a dark creature, and you forgot to tell me that you knew my best mate was shagging a werewolf without knowing it. Anything else? Are you keeping a vampire in Lottie's bedroom to watch over her at night?'

'Don't be so bloody ridiculous,' Lily snapped. 'Remus is not a danger to anyone. You're right, I should have told you, but you would have turned him in and, God, James... You've never heard him talk about those holding cells, the stories about what they do to the werewolves in there...'

'Lily, if you don't mind, I really don't want to talk about your precious Remus right now,' James said acidly, turning back towards the bedroom window and staring out at the swollen moon. 'I'm too busy worrying that he's out there ripping my best friend to pieces. Alright?'

Lily opened her mouth, but before she could apologise again for withholding the truth from her husband, she heard Lottie grizzling. Silently, she stood and pulled on her dressing gown before opening their bedroom door. She glanced over her shoulder, sighing in regret at the sight of James standing stiffly, hands in his pockets, staring out at the glowing moon.

There would be no rest in the Potter house tonight.

Sirius put his hand to his head, hissing when it came away wet and red. 'Give me a look,' Emmeline Vance said, appearing at Sirius' side. When he resisted, she slapped the back of his hand. 'Stop being such a bloody pain. Let me heal the damn thing.'

Sirius gave her an incredulous look, but did as she asked. 'I'm too scared not to obey,' he said, wincing when she poked at his head wound. 'If I was into women, I'd be all over you right now, Em.'

Emmeline snorted and cast a mild Cleansing spell, the tingle making Sirius shiver. 'Thought I scared you?' she retorted, and Sirius grinned.

'How do you know that isn't what turns me on?'

Emmeline laughed and quickly healed the cut. The werewolf had knocked Sirius flying as it leaped out of the way of his, Fabian's, and Moody's combined Lupus spell, invented specifically for the capture of werewolves. They'd chased the chestnut-coloured animal for several very long minutes before it managed to escape amidst a hail of spells and hexes.

But not before it had done what it came to do.

Sirius put a hand on the wet ground and struggled to his feet. The world tilted a little and his fingers scraped painfully against the wall as he rode out the dizzying waves.

'Take it easy,' Emmeline warned, grasping his arm. 'You were knocked out for a minute or two.'

'I'm fine,' he muttered, trailing his fingers along the wall as he walked unsteadily towards the circle of Aurors further up the alley, their red cloaks vibrant in the dim, grey early morning light. It wasn't until he got closer, that Sirius was able to catch a glimpse of the muddied, bloody body sprawled across the filthy ground.

Fabian looked up as he approached and he shifted, making space for Sirius to join the group. 'Gods,' Sirius whispered as he stared down at the latest victim. 'How did it have time to do this?'

'I've never seen anything move so fast,' Kingsley Shacklebolt said, his face troubled. 'It was like the werewolf was playing with him. He wasn't interested in eating him, this wasn't about food. He just...' He shook his head and gestured towards the body.

Sirius looked across the mutilated body to Alastor Moody, who met his pointed gaze with pained eyes. 'Black,' he grunted. 'You and Prewett... Fabian, that is, organise the transfer of the body to the morgue. I've contacted Pettigrew. He'll meet you there.'

Sirius nodded, taking one more look at the blood-soaked black hair of the dead man before he cast the spells for transportation.


	7. Chapter 7

Remus groaned as he fell onto his bed, the frame creaking in objection. His whole body ached, but thankfully, he didn't seem to have sustained any injuries that would require more than a Healing spell and a day of rest.

'Remus? Alright?'

Remus forced his eyes open and saw Arthur Weasley's blurred form in the doorway of his room. ''m fine,' he mumbled, his heavy eyelids drooping. 'Not bad.'

He felt rather than saw Arthur enter the room, felt the dip of the bed as he sat down beside him. He was half-asleep when he felt the first tingle of the Cleansing spells, and had drifted off the by time Arthur began to heal his wounds.

'Floo James,' was Peter's greeting for Sirius, who frowned uncomprehendingly at him.

'What?'

'James is frantic about you,' Peter told him as he and Fabian uncovered the body. 'Floo him to let him know you're still alive.'

Fabian chuckled. 'Didn't know you had a wife, Black.'

'Fuck off,' Sirius muttered, giving Fabian a half-hearted shove before he headed for the nearest fireplace.

When he returned, Peter had his wand out and was dictating notes to a Quick Notes Quill. 'Magical signature is identical to that of the body of Ben Holland, Case Number 57384, also found near 'Skin' nightclub. The wounds are also very similar in depth and technique to that of the previous victim.'

Sirius caught sight of the man's face – now cleaned of blood and muck - and his mouth went dry. 'Shit,' he breathed. He looked up at Peter and a curious Fabian. 'I've seen him before.'

He straightened his shirt, watching Remus stop and stare at a frotting couple before he continued out into the noisy club. Sirius ran his hand through his hair and followed, his own eyes momentarily catching those of the brunette who was pressed against the wall. They eyed each other then Sirius followed Remus out of the corridor.

'At the club?' Fabian asked, and Sirius nodded, his mind whirling. Remus had seen the man too. He'd stopped to watch them...

Sirius spun on his heel and stalked towards the door. 'Tell Moody I've gone to talk to a possible witness,' he called over his shoulder.

'Sirius, don't go alone,' Peter warned, guessing where he was headed. 'Take back up...'

'Where are you going?' Fabian asked as Sirius disappeared through the door.

As he quickly walked back to the Floo, a distracted Sirius barely heard the bellowed, 'Black!' from his frustrated colleague.

Remus stirred, wincing in his still-sleepy state as his aching muscles shifted. He rolled onto his back, a yawn cracking his jaw.

'About time.'

Remus gasped, his eyes snapping open as he recognised that voice. He turned his head, and his heart skipped when he saw an outline of a figure sitting in the shadows. 'Sirius?' he mumbled, rubbing at his tired eyes.

He struggled to sit up as the figure stepped into the muted light. Remus' mouth went dry when he saw the crimson robes Sirius wore, and when he looked up at the other man's grim, pale face, he knew.

'Lily told you,' he said, not bothering to make it a question.

'James did,' Sirius confirmed, face unreadable as he stared down at Remus. 'Why didn't you?'

Remus raised his eyebrows incredulously as he carefully swung his legs one by one over the side of the bed. 'You're an Auror,' he said, flicking his hand at Sirius' robes. 'I'm an unregistered werewolf. Why do you think I didn't tell you?'

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, grimacing as his body complained about the movement. 'So, are you here to arrest me? Got some silver cuffs in your pocket for me?'

He held out his hands, wrists up, but instead of clapping handcuffs on him, Sirius slapped his hands away. 'I want you to answer some questions,' he said harshly, dragging a chair from the small desk and placing it beside the bed. He gently shoved Remus back onto the mattress then sat down on the chair.

'Where were you last night?'

Remus frowned. 'Why?' he asked then his face hardened. 'Molly and Arthur don't know what I am. They have nothing...'

'That's bullshit,' Sirius snapped angrily. 'Don't you think you owe me a little fucking honesty now, Remus?'

'Not if it means seven children losing their parents because they were trying to help out a friend,' Remus retorted, his own temper sparking. 'You won't get me to say they knew...'

'I'm not bloody interested in Molly and Arthur and what they do or don't know,' Sirius said impatiently, shoving the chair back as he stood. 'I'm interested in knowing if it was you tearing apart Muggles last night.'

'Wh... what?' Remus stammered, anger fading as confusion took its place. 'Muggles? What are you talking about?'

Remus' genuine bewilderment seemed to calm Sirius slightly, and he sat back down. Remus listened carefully as Sirius explained about the killings and the conclusions they had reached.

'And since all registered werewolves were accounted for...'

'You're looking for an unregistered werewolf,' Remus finished in a hushed tone, staring at Sirius' fingers as they distractedly twisted the fabric of his cloak. 'Like me.'

He looked up in time to see the flash of pain streak across Sirius' face, and felt a corresponding surge inside his chest. 'I'm sorry I didn't tell you,' he whispered, mortified that his voice cracked with an emotion that he didn't want to examine too closely. 'In my defense, this – thing – between us was only ever supposed to be a one-off. I didn't know that you... that we...'

Remus bit his lip, not wanting to confess to the disturbing depth of his longing for Sirius. There was a time and place for declarations and this – while he was trying to convince Sirius that he wasn't a murderous monster – wasn't it.

'You're really not going to report Molly and Arthur?' he asked, low and defeated. 'They were only trying to help me and don't deserve...'

'I'll keep them out of it,' Sirius said quietly, his own voice dull, but with an undercurrent of tension. 'Just... give me an alibi I can believe.'

Remus stood shakily, Sirius hastily jumping to his feet and reaching out to steady him when his legs threatened to give way. The firm touch made Remus' breath catch, and he was sure he heard Sirius suck in a sharp breath before he let go of Remus' arm.

Remus swallowed hard then said softly, 'I'll do better than that. I'll show you.'

As the ground firmed under his feet again, Sirius let go of Arthur Weasley's arm. His hands shot out to grab hold of Remus as he saw the other man's legs crumple. Arthur was also clinging to the pale man and, together, they held Remus until he regained his equilibrium.

'I'm okay,' mumbled Remus, abruptly shaking off Sirius' hands then extracting himself from Arthur's grasp with a bit more care. 'Thank you.'

Sirius ignored the irritation he felt at Remus' rejection and looked around. They had Apparated to the middle of a thickly-populated grove of trees, the grass tall and wild around their legs. A small, but tidy-looking shed sat between two of the largest trees Sirius had ever seen. He looked at Arthur for an explanation as to why they were here.

'This is where Remus was last night,' Arthur told him, indicating the shed. 'It's reinforced with all kinds of wards and protection spells, and only Molly and myself know the password. Remus doesn't know,' he added, seeing Sirius' doubtful glance at Remus. 'Molly or I change it each month. He never knows it.'

'You locked him in last night?' Sirius asked, and Arthur shot a look at Remus, who nodded.

Arthur sighed heavily then turned back to Sirius. 'Come on,' he said wearily. 'I'll show you.'

They trudged through the undergrowth towards the shed, Sirius noting that there did seem to be a flattened trail through the grass, indicating regular use. Arthur pulled out his wand as they neared the door, but Sirius touched his elbow to stop him using it. 'Wait,' he said quietly before casting revealing spells. The wards shimmered, Sirius quickly identifying layers upon layers of protection spells that made this shed virtually impenetrable.

'Okay,' he said, letting Arthur's arm go.

Arthur inhaled deeply and murmured, 'Brace yourself,' before flicking his wand and muttering something Sirius couldn't hear.

The door clicked open. Arthur glanced at Sirius then waved his hand towards the unlocked entrance. 'Go on then,' he said, unable to hide the slight edge of resentment in his voice.

Sirius frowned and looked over his shoulder. Remus hadn't moved from where they'd Apparated. He was watching Sirius, his arm outstretched as he supported himself against a tree trunk. Sirius turned back to the shed and stepped up, pushing open the door and ducking through the gaping entry.

He blinked, taking a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. A softly murmured spell lit the end of his wand and Sirius lifted it high so he could see into every nook and cranny. The shed's interior was pretty much what he'd expected – a tight square of space with some kind of coarse matting on the floor. What he wasn't expecting to see were the four manacles chained to the furthest wall, or the long, deep gouges in the wall around them. Nor had he been prepared for the dark splatters all over the walls, the floor, or the metallic scent that assailed him when he sucked in a stuttering breath tainted with blood and pain and fear.

Sirius staggered back, hand searching desperately behind him for the doorway and, when he felt a draft of cooler air, he headed for it, almost falling out of the shed in his haste to get away. Strong hands caught him as he stumbled over a gnarled bush, and he seized the closest body part he could find. 'Fuck,' he rasped out, bending at the waist with the force of the nausea that coiled in his gut.

That was Remus' blood.

He dragged a hand over his eyes before he looked up, realising for the first time that the arm he was clutching so tightly was Remus'. Sirius straightened, trying to slow his ragged breathing as he stared disbelievingly at the other man.

'You... you chain yourself...?' His voice broke ,and he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. 'You hurt yourself?'

Remus held Sirius' gaze, his blue eyes burning, as Arthur answered. 'I chain him,' he said quietly. 'Remus asks me to do it for him so that, if the wards fail, he still can't get loose.'

Remus' fingers closed around Sirius' wrist – gently, carefully. His thumb pressed against Sirius' pulse; their hearts thumping in tandem as Remus said softly, but unequivocally, 'It wasn't me that killed those men, Sirius. I swear on Harry's life. It wasn't me.'

Molly and Arthur had taken the children somewhere for the afternoon, giving Remus and Sirius some space to talk. Sirius fixed some tea, refusing Remus' help when he saw the way he was gripping the counter for support. He took the cups through to the living area, pausing in the doorway when he saw Remus – grey-faced and trembling – curled up into a ball on the couch. His eyes were open, though, so Sirius stepped into the room and placed the steaming, fragrant tea on the low side table.

'Before she left, Molly told me to use this blend,' he explained, when Remus looked at the cup in surprise.

Remus nodded and sat up, rolling his shoulders before reaching for the cup and taking a sip. Sirius sat down beside him and sniffed the pleasant smelling, but unfamiliar beverage.

'What's in it?' he asked warily.

'Willow bark, licorice root, and cinnamon,' Remus replied, taking another mouthful of tea. 'Molly makes it for me for after the full moon. The willow bark helps with muscle aches, the licorice bark and cinnamon help with the nausea and make it palatable.'

An uncomfortable silence fell as they sipped at their drinks, Sirius achingly aware of the close proximity of the long limbs that had so recently been wrapped around him, the fingers curling around the tea cup that had stroked him, that had been inside him. He exhaled a shuddering breath, and tried to focus on the things Remus had withheld instead.

'Did you ask Lily to lie to James about you?' he asked suddenly, recalling James' hurt and furious face last night. 'You realise the position you put her in?'

Remus looked shame-faced and stared intently into his cup. 'I know,' he said softly. 'I didn't ask her to lie; in fact, I asked her to tell him, but she told me that Harry was in no danger from me so there was no reason to tell her husband. I tried to insist, but... ' His lips pressed tightly together for a moment. 'But it was nice – to have someone believe in me like she did. To have someone trust me.' He let out a bark of laughter that sounded more mocking than amused. 'Guess I've blown that. Does Lily think I'm a killer as well?'

'As far as I know, Lily doesn't know anything about this,' Sirius said. 'James insisted she tell him what was going on between you two. He thought you were... shagging or something.'

Remus looked startled. 'Lily knows I'm gay,' he said. 'Why didn't she just tell him...?'

'She did,' Sirius said with a burgeoning grin. 'James just doesn't really believe there's a man out there that could resist Lily's charms.'

Remus smiled, chuckling quietly as he looked down into his almost-empty cup. 'She is lovely,' he agreed, 'but the distinct lack of cock is a bit of a turn off.'

They shared a subdued laugh then the tension returned as Sirius asked, 'Why aren't you registered? You know the penalties?'

'A good stretch of time in Azkaban,' Remus replied promptly. 'A silver bullet if I put up a fight... or just for the fun of it.'

Something dark and bitter pervaded Remus' voice and Sirius frowned. 'So why didn't you register?' he asked, watching the other man closely. 'You've gone to all this trouble to make sure you're contained, why not just go to the Ministry?'

Remus worried his lip, his brow creasing as the silence lengthened. Just when Sirius didn't think he was going to answer, Remus turned to look at him.

'Why do you think the Ministry is suddenly so interested in containing werewolves during the full moon?'

Sirius gave him a puzzled look. 'To keep track of them,' he replied. 'To ensure public safety.'

'Has the rate of werewolf attacks reduced since the lockdown laws were introduced?' Remus asked.

Sirius' frown deepened. 'I... I'm not sure,' he said slowly, trying to recall the latest statistics he'd read. 'I don't think so. Not a notable reduction, anyway.'

'So the statistics don't support the argument that they're spending all that money housing werewolves during the full moon for public safety purposes?'

Sirius shifted in his seat, twisting so he was facing Remus. 'I suppose not,' he murmured, wondering where Remus was going with this. 'When they first introduced the legislation, I suggested they spend the money tracking down the werewolves that were giving them trouble, the unregistered ones. I'm sure they're responsible for most of the deaths.'

'Not all unregistered werewolves are vicious killers,' Remus scowled. 'But you're partly correct. Any werewolf who bothers to get himself registered is already taking precautions during the full moon. I would bet my life on it. There's no reason to round them up like cattle and herd them into the Ministry cells. It doesn't make sense for the Ministry to do this rather than spend the money hunting the packs that take pleasure in turning or killing.' His face darkened. 'Unless there's another reason for introducing the law.'

'What do you mean?'

Remus' jaw clenched, and Sirius could see the debate raging in his eyes for a long moment before he said, low and hard, 'Do you know the mortality rate for registered werewolves during the full moon? How many enter the Ministry but don't come out?'

It took several seconds for the implication to penetrate Sirius' brain, but when it did, he felt the horrifying 'click' of a puzzle piece falling into place. 'No...' he breathed, staring at Remus as his stomach churned wildly. 'Oh my God, they can't be...'

'It's a regular, Ministry-advocated culling,' Remus spat, lips trembling with anger. 'They kill off a few werewolves with each moon – telling family or friends that they went mad and attacked themselves, or that the stress on their bodies from the change finally caught up with them. No one thinks to do an autopsy, or question the deaths. After all,' he sneered, 'they're just werewolves. Better off without them.'

'How... you can't know this. Not for sure,' Sirius whispered, throat burning with bile. 'How do you...?'

'Because some of my friends have been victims,' Remus told him, grief suffusing his words. 'They were healthy, they weren't violent or enraged during the moon...' He took a deep breath and looked Sirius in the eye. 'Because, before I was turned, my father was working on a similar plan that was shelved when he disappeared.'

Sirius stared at him in shock, cold creeping over his skin. 'Your father worked for the Ministry?' he asked, his mind working dizzyingly as the puzzle pieces shifted, aligning themselves. 'He worked for the Ministry and you were attacked by a werewolf.' He closed his eyes as realisation slammed into him. 'It's you,' he said, a little breathlessly. 'You were the little boy. Your family disappeared after you were bitten... I've been reading about you!'

Remus seemed a little taken aback, but nodded uneasily. 'Yes,' he admitted. 'After I was bitten, my family up and left. My father...' He paused, his jaw clamping down for a moment before he appeared to wrench the words from his throat. 'My father worked for the Magical Creatures division at the Ministry. He was working on new laws for the regulation of werewolves – including the secret agenda for ridding the world of a few dark creatures – when he got a visit from a werewolf called Fenrir Greyback.'

Sirius hissed quietly. He knew of Greyback; the man would stop at nothing to convert children, taking them into his fold and raising them to be murderers. He targeted children...

Gods, the evidence has been right under my nose. Remus is living proof that a werewolf can target his prey.

Remus, unaware of his mental digress, continued talking. 'Greyback resented the Ministry's interference in werewolf matters and tried to... convince my father to scrap the legislation. When he refused...' He sighed and lifted his shirt, twisting at the waist as he bunched it around his neck.

Sirius winced at the ugly scarring on Remus' back. It wasn't a clear bite mark, but the unmistakable shape was enough to explain why Remus had insisted Sirius only fucked him face to face. Sirius' arm rose, fingers reaching tentatively for the mess of ruined skin. He hesitated for a moment then touched the scar lightly.

Remus spun around as if he'd been burned, pressing his back into the couch cushions. He was shaking violently now, face skull-white and pupils blown. Sirius stood, picking up their discarded tea cups. 'Just... stay here,' he said worriedly. 'I'll get you another tea.'

He didn't wait for the kettle to boil naturally this time, tapping his wand against the spout and making it bubble in mere seconds. This time, he made Earl Grey, putting a generous splash of Firewhiskey in Remus' then, after a moment's thought, did the same to his own. They'd both had one hell of a shitty day.

When he returned, Remus seemed more in control. He took the tea with a grateful, if slightly forced smile, and didn't move when Sirius sat down beside him once more. They drank quietly, both making a face as the Firewhiskey burned its way down to their stomachs. This time, it was Remus who broke the silence.

'Do you believe me?'

Sirius glanced at him, at the guileless face, the sad eyes, and nodded. 'I believe you.'

Remus exhaled softly, closing his eyes. 'Thank you,' he murmured. 'It's important that... I wanted you to believe me.'

Sirius felt the ache inside him – the one he'd been trying valiantly to ignore – expand and it took all his will power not to reach out and take Remus' hand. He clenched his hand into a fist, pressing it tightly against his thigh. He tried to force his mind back to the murders - there was still a werewolf on the loose out there – but it kept slipping back to Remus and that led to thoughts of touching Remus, which inevitably led to him thinking about the times he had touched Remus...

Bloody hell.

'Would you be up for helping me with an identification in a few days?' he asked, gulping down the last of his tea and burning his tongue. He had to leave. Now.

Remus' brow creased in confusion at the abruptness of Sirius' question, but he nodded. Sirius took a deep breath. 'Right. Well, I'll come here and you can Side-Along,' he said briskly as he stood.

He heard Remus mumble an agreement as he bolted for the door then Remus called softly, 'Sirius?'

Sirius stopped in his tracks. He didn't turn around; actually seeing Remus would put a massive dent in his already compromised control. He heard the whispered, 'I really am sorry,' and swallowed hard, clenching his eyes shut tight as he nodded.

Then he got out of there as fast as he could.


	8. Chapter 8

Four days later, Remus blinked as he and Sirius materialized in the garden of a beautiful, homey cottage. He frowned in confusion, and turned to look at Sirius.

'Where are we?'

Sirius looked a little guilty. 'James and Lily's place,' he mumbled.

'Why did you...?'

'Just... trust me, okay?' Sirius pleaded.

He gave Remus a muted smile, and Remus became very aware of the fact Sirius was still holding his arm from their Apparation. He looked down at the long, elegant fingers braceleting his wrist then glanced up at Sirius. Sirius seemed to realise he was still hanging onto Remus and let go, his fingertips brushing lingeringly over the inside of Remus' wrist before the contact was lost.

'Come on,' he said quietly, pinching the sleeve of Remus' jacket between his fingers and giving an encouraging tug. 'Please?'

Remus clamped his jaw shut, fighting the urge to ask the million questions that were on the tip of his tongue, and followed, groaning inwardly when he realised he was checking out Sirius' arse as they went.

Lily appeared in the doorway before they reached the wraparound porch, smiling tentatively at Remus. 'Remus,' she murmured as they reached her. She held out a hand pleadingly. 'I'm sorry. I...'

Remus took her hand, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. 'It's okay, Lily,' he said reassuringly. 'I should have insisted you tell James before I agreed to tutor Harry. I'm sorry if I've caused trouble between you two.'

Lily shook her head. 'It's fine,' she said. Her gaze shifted to include Sirius. 'You'd better come in.'

She turned and led the way into the house. Remus hesitated at the entrance, uncertain of the reception he was about to receive.

'James won't bite,' Sirius said in his ear, his body so close that his chest was brushing Remus' back. 'He might be pissed off, but he knows why Lily chose not to tell him.'

Remus nodded, wishing he could lean back into the warmth and security of Sirius' solid presence. He jumped when, as if Sirius had read his thoughts, a hand pressed reassuringly against his lower back. 'I'll protect you,' Sirius murmured, shifting closer.

Remus closed his eyes as raw want suffused his every cell. His breath escaped in a quiet rush and he slumped back against Sirius before he could stop himself. The hand on his back shifted, sliding smoothly around his body to close over his hip.

'My hero,' Remus whispered.

Sirius groaned softly and let his forehead drop to Remus' shoulder. Remus' hand moved to cover Sirius', and he struggled to open his heavy eyelids. 'We should...'

'Yeah,' Sirius said, voice muffled against Remus' shoulder blade. 'Gods, I'm completely fucking hard. How do you do this to me?'

Remus' breathing hitched, his own throbbing erection straining against his zipper. 'Talent,' he retorted before, with superhuman strength and willpower, he straightened and stepped out of Sirius' reach. 'After you.'

With a sigh and a blatant adjustment of his jeans, Sirius led the way to the living area, turning to face Remus as he came through the door behind him.

'Remus, you've met James...'

Remus took in the bespectacled man's stony face and wanted to turn right back around. At least that's taken care of my erection. Instead, he held out his hand. 'Yes,' he said, eyes on James. 'We've met. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you from the beginning. I... have a lot to lose, but you had the right to know who was tutoring your son.'

James' hazel eyes flared behind his lenses, but he took the offered hand and shook it perfunctorily. 'Yes,' he said curtly. 'I did.' Lily made a small sound, and James' jaw clenched. 'But I trust Lily's judgment. She would never place Harry in danger.'

'Neither would I,' Remus said and, after a long, searching look, James nodded.

'And this is Peter Pettigrew,' Sirius said, diffusing the tension. 'Peter's a Healer, and he works with the Ministry. He's been helping us out with the victims.'

Peter shot Remus a quick smile and shook his hand quickly. His eyes lingered, though, appraising Remus. Sirius cleared his throat pointedly and Peter, shaken out of his contemplation, said hastily, 'Oh, yeah. Right...' as he bent to pick up a leather briefcase.

His movement seemed to release everyone from their stasis, James and Lily shifting to sit side-by-side on the couch as Peter sank into an armchair. That left a small two-seater love seat for Remus and Sirius, and Remus sat down on the edge, acutely aware of Sirius' denim-clad thigh pressing against his.

'I brought the photographs,' Peter said, reaching into the briefcase and pulling out a sheaf of papers. 'And the initial autopsy report.' He handed the papers to Sirius with a grim expression. 'It was a quick death, but... unpleasant.' His eyes shifted to Remus briefly then he looked away.

Sirius handed Remus a photograph of the second victim. 'Do you recognise him?' he asked softly.

Remus reluctantly took the photo, taking a deep breath before looking at it. 'Oh, Gods,' he breathed, the air rushing from his lungs with a whoosh when he saw the jagged slashes littering the dead man's body. He bit his lip then glanced at the man's face. 'He... Yes.' He looked up at Sirius, face pained. 'He was at the club that night that we... met.'

He heard a snort, a muffled chuckle, and Peter's muttered, 'Is that what they're calling it these days?', and flushed.

Sirius shot a fierce glare in their general direction then turned back to Remus. 'It is him,' he confirmed as he attempted to pry the photograph from Remus' tight grip. 'I recognised him as well.' He tugged on the photo and frowned. 'Remus, you can let...'

'I smelled him,' Remus whispered, finally looking up. His stomach roiled nauseatingly. 'Gods, I could smell him...'

Sirius' eyes widened as he quickly caught on. He clutched at Remus' hand, fingers digging into his flesh. 'You smelled him?' he hissed urgently. 'That's why you stopped to look at them? That bloke with him was...?'

Remus nodded haltingly, wincing when Sirius' nails scratched him. He twisted his hand out of Sirius' grip as he explained in an unsteady voice to the others, 'Werewolves have an enhanced olfactory sense. Everyone's scent is unique – including a werewolf's. I couldn't smell him at first – too many other... factors.' He felt himself flushing when Peter and James exchanged a knowing glance. 'But when I was leaving, I caught a whiff of him.'

He turned to Sirius whose eyes were burning with a fierce intensity that made Remus' whole body tingle with awareness. His breath caught for a moment then he cleared his throat and concentrated on Sirius' words.

'You can identify him?'

Remus frowned. 'Not his face, I'm not sure I remember his features very well,' he said, 'and he can change his appearance anyway, but his scent... He can't alter that with any kind of Glamour spell.' He nodded at Sirius. 'Yeah, I can identify him.'

Sirius' face split into a wide grin. 'You are a fucking marvel, Remus Lupin!'

And then, to Remus' surprise, Sirius cupped his face and kissed him hard.

'So, you're saying it is possible for a werewolf to mark it's prey? To hunt a specific target?'

Remus nodded in answer to Peter's question, smiling his thanks as James handed him a cup of tea. 'My father believed so,' he replied, taking a sip of the hot, sweet brew then letting the heated china warm his hands. 'When I was bitten, it was generally thought that the werewolf that did it placed himself nearby to scare my father. It was decided that he went mad with moon lust and attacked the house, and that I was just unlucky enough to be the first warm body he found when he forced his way through the window.'

He cleared his throat, uneasy talking about this at any time, but especially with Sirius watching him from across the room, those grey eyes inscrutable. 'But they could never explain why he stopped at me,' he said, every inch of him aware of the gaze that was searing into his head, into his heart, seeing everything he had so carefully hidden. 'Why my parents weren't savaged as well when they were sleeping just down the hall.'

'They think the werewolf was after you in particular?' James asked dubiously, shooting Sirius a look before he turned back to Remus. 'Why? From what Sirius told us, your father was the one Greyback thought had slighted him.'

'If I wanted you to hurt, James,' Sirius interrupted quietly, 'I mean really, really crush you, what would be the most effective way to do it?'

James just stared at him; it was Lily who answered. 'You'd hurt Harry or Lottie,' she said tremulously, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes as she clutched James' arm. 'You'd hurt our children.'

The muscle in Sirius' jaw leaped as he stared back at James, his expression carefully guarded. 'It would kill you if they were hurt,' he said simply then he glanced at Remus. 'It was the perfect revenge. He turned you into the very thing your father was trying to protect the wizarding world from.'

There was a moment of silence – as thick as pea soup – then Peter asked quietly, 'How did he mark you? How did he know to go after you? Was it your scent or...?'

'I met him,' Remus broke in. 'Once, just before that month's full moon. My mother had to go into work early so she dropped me off at my father's office. I heard arguing and when Greyback came out, he...' Remus raised his hand to his head. 'He asked if I was John Lupin's son, and when I said I was, he ruffled my hair and...' The hand moved to his cheek. '...he touched my face.'

Remus' voice faltered. Sirius stepped away from the wall he'd been leaning on since their awkward, spontaneous kiss earlier. 'He marked you,' he said, putting it together. 'He rubbed his scent on you, left his signature. That's how he identified you. That's how he identified his victims at the club. He marked them.'

'He arranged to meet them the night of the full moon then waited for them to turn up and killed them,' Peter said almost to himself as he nodded. 'That would explain why no one else was harmed. Why, though? If he has a grudge against Muggles, why not just...' He made a moue of distaste, '... attack the first person he saw?'

'Unless it isn't so much a Muggle thing as a gay thing,' Sirius suggested, sidling past James and Lily to perch on the couch next to Remus. 'Gay bashing is much more common in the Muggle world because, even though the wizarding world accepts homosexuality more readily, it's done behind closed doors to avoid accusations of disloyalty, of contributing to the declining wizarding community. Muggles don't seem to accept it as easily, but they are so much more open about it, with their clubs and pro-rights groups, than we've been allowed to be. Maybe it's an anti-gay thing? A wizard pissed off about Muggles flaunting their sexuality?'

'Didn't you say the werewolf was with that last victim?' James asked, frowning at Sirius. 'If he is gay, why would he be bashing them?'

'Fancying men and accepting and being at peace with being gay are two completely different things,' Remus said softly, but firmly. 'A lot of the most strident gay declaimers are actually repressed queens.'

Sirius snorted and smirked at Remus, the others snickering in the background. Remus grinned at Sirius then shook his head. 'Motive doesn't really matter right now anyway, does it?' he said with a shrug. 'The important thing is catching him.'

He looked at Sirius, all trace of amusement fading. 'And I want to help. Everyone has their own unique scent. I can come to the club with you and...'

'Sniff him out?' James suggested with a raised eyebrow.

Remus gave him a half-smile, but nodded. 'Yeah, something like that.'

'We'll help too,' Peter offered enthusiastically, getting an alarmed glance from James.

'You want me to go to a gay bar?'

Peter smirked at him. 'You can be my bitch, Potter.'

'There is no way you lot are going.'

Remus frowned at Sirius, surprised by the tension threaded through his voice. 'Why not? It was dark that night, Sirius, and the werewolf's back was to me. I couldn't give a positive ID based on that, and neither could you. This is the only way to be sure.'

'And we'll be an extra set of eyes and ears,' Peter piped up, flapping his hand at James in a shushing gesture when he hissed, 'Peter!' at him.

'We'll figure out a way,' Sirius insisted, his expression mulish as he ignored the others in favour of glaring at Remus. 'I'm not dragging you along. You'll be hurt.' Now, he looked over at Peter and James. 'You could all be hurt.'

'I'll be with you,' Remus retorted. 'And it's not like he'll spontaneously transform right then and there. I'm not helpless. Sirius.'

'Neither are we,' said James, his alarm at Peter volunteering him fading in the face of Sirius' doubt.

Sirius shook his head. 'No,' he refused. 'I don't want you anywhere near the Ministry's investigation. Any of you.' He glared at Remus, ignoring the stubborn set to his jaw. 'You're not coming and that's my final word.'


	9. Chapter 9

'This is such a bad idea,' Sirius muttered, glaring at Remus as they approached the entrance to 'Skin' nearly three weeks later. 'How did I let you talk me into this?'

'I offered you a blow job,' Remus said absently as he peered closely at the faces in the crowd outside the club. 'You do recall how spectacular they are?'

'Oh, God,' muttered James, sidling closer to Peter and starting a deliberately loud conversation about the weather.

Sirius smiled to himself, sneaking a peek at Remus out of the corner of his eye. 'Yeah, I seem to have a vague recollection,' he murmured, wishing he'd pretended to take Remus' joking remark about getting down on his knees and begging Sirius to let him come ("and I'll let you come as well – right down my throat") seriously. They'd been seeing each other regularly; ostensibly because Sirius wanted to keep Remus informed about the investigation's progress, but really because he just wanted to see him.

He wasn't going to pretend Remus' revelation hadn't affected him; it had. He spent days trying to work out how he felt about the fact he'd unknowingly shagged a werewolf, burying himself in books and research as he tried to learn everything he could about lycanthropy. Eventually, Peter and James had bodily dragged him out of the office, Apparated him to 'The Burrow' and, with a slap on his arse, told him to 'go and fuck the sense out of Remus, for Merlin's sake. We're sick of seeing your mopey face and we all know you're not really going to let his furry little problem get in the way of a good shag.'

But they hadn't fucked, or even really talked about the great big elephant – or werewolf – in the room for that matter. They'd flirted, they'd tossed innuendo and double entendres around like they had a quota to meet, but they hadn't discussed anything of personal significance or made any real attempt to return to their previous – mutually satisfying – relationship.

Sirius wasn't sure where they went from here, or where he wanted them to go. If he was being honest with himself – which he tried not to let happen too often – he had to admit that he liked Remus. Not just the sex, although that was phenomenal. He liked Remus, and that wasn't something that happened to him very often. He glanced at Remus. He didn't know where he stood or even what he wanted, and the feeling was unfamiliar and discomforting.

As they waited in line, Sirius used the crowd as an excuse to stand close to Remus. He breathed in as quietly as he could, inhaling the musk of the other man's aftershave. He stifled a moan, as well as the urge to bury his nose in Remus' skin to sniff out where that scent was the strongest. He smiled to himself. The draw of scent obviously wasn't just a werewolf thing.

'Are you sniffing me?' Remus asked softly, leaning in so Sirius could hear him.

Sirius laughed. 'Am I that obvious?' he said ruefully.

Remus shrugged. 'Yep,' he said with a smile that seemed a little forced. 'A werewolf's nose is more sensitive than yours. You won't be able to smell what I am.'

Sirius' eyes widened. 'No,' he said quickly, grabbing Remus' elbow. 'I wasn't... I... Gods, I like your aftershave, alright? You were wearing it the first night we met and... ' Sirius sighed, 'it just about drove me insane. You know the smell intensifies when you get hot and sweaty, right?'

Remus blinked then the corners of his mouth turned up. 'Oh,' he murmured, biting back his grin. 'Sorry, I...'

'... was thinking the worst of me?'

Remus sighed, his burgeoning smile collapsing. 'I'm sorry,' he mumbled, looking a little ashamed. 'It's just... well, we haven't talked about all this, about how you feel knowing what I am. I'm not sure where I stand - if you want to keep doing what we were doing, or if you just want to call it a day...'

Sirius chuckled ruefully. 'I was just thinking the same thing,' he admitted. He flashed Remus a quick, tight smile, noticing Fabian and his brother, Gideon approaching. 'I don't know, Remus. Let's just get this over with then we can talk.'

Remus nodded and, as the brothers smiled their greetings, they, along with a nervy James and amused Peter, walked into the noisy club, Sirius groaning silently to himself as he watched Remus' arse move in his tight jeans.

Fuck.

An hour later, Remus was nursing a beer and watching in amusement as Gideon Prewett attempted to gyrate in time with Sirius on the dance floor, the two of them laughing and bumping into the couples around them. James Potter slid into the seat next to him, snorting out a laugh at Sirius as his attempts to get even closer to Gideon were firmly rebuffed, the redhead pushing him away. Sirius fell against a tall, dark-haired man and had to drag out his most charming smile to placate the annoyed stranger, who grabbed at Sirius' shirt aggressively.

'He's such a wanker,' James said, glancing at Remus who laughed and lifted his beer to his lips. They sat without talking, the music throbbing through their veins as they searched the crowd for their quarry.

'Nothing yet?' James asked, and Remus shook his head.

'I'll walk around again in a minute,' he said then glanced over at James. 'Listen, James, I want to apologise again. I should have insisted Lily tell you about me...'

'No,' said James, turning on his stool. 'That was Lily's doing. She chose to keep this from me. It's something we have to talk about and work through.'

'I've caused trouble for the two of you,' Remus said regretfully.

James shrugged. 'Nah, not really,' he said. 'She should have told me, and I was pretty pissed off, but...' He grinned. 'You seem alright, and Sirius trusts you. But I think I'll let Lily think I'm mad for a bit longer. It's not often that I'm right. I want to savour it.'

Remus laughed then turned to see Sirius watching them. The other man looked away when he realised he'd been caught, and James rolled his eyes.

'Gods, he's got it bad for you,' he muttered.

Remus, barely able to hear him over the music, was sure he'd misheard. 'What?'

James leaned in closer. 'He's got it bad for you,' he repeated, gesturing towards Sirius as if Remus needed reminding who they were talking about.

'I... I don't think so,' Remus stuttered, but James waved a hand dismissively.

'I've known Sirius a lot longer than you, Remus, and I've never seen him quite so... besotted.'

'Besotted?'

James grinned. 'Lily's word,' he admitted. 'But it is appropriate. He likes you. Quite a bit. Just... be careful with him if you decide to give it a go, yeah? He doesn't love easily, and he's a lot more fragile than he looks.'

'Who is?'

Remus jumped and snapped his head around to see Sirius looking questioningly at James.

'Harry,' lied James smoothly. 'Have you finished trying to hump that poor straight boy's leg?'

Sirius poked out his tongue then turned to Remus. 'We should do another sweep,' he said, and Remus nodded, finishing his beer off quickly.

'Yep,' he agreed, standing up. 'Let's go.'

They spent a few seconds struggling through the crowd clambering around the bar then Remus felt a hand slide into his own. 'Don't want to lose you,' Sirius said, pressing against Remus' side. His warm breath washed over Remus' neck, and Remus shivered.

'I... I can't smell him yet,' Remus muttered, trying to focus on the scent he was searching for rather than the intoxicating perfume of sweat and cologne layered on top of that something unique that was all Sirius' own. 'Perhaps he isn't here.'

'Mm,' Sirius murmured as they emerged from the melee. 'You haven't looked down there.'

Sirius pointed towards the darkened corridor where shadowed figures writhed and the scent of sex was strong enough on its own to make Remus as hard as stone. He jumped as hot lips ghosted over the delicate skin behind his ear. 'I'll come with you,' Sirius whispered, and it was all Remus could do not to whimper.

''kay,' he gasped out quietly, fighting to urge to lean back into the heat and strength of the other man's body and failing badly.

Sirius' lips were right next to his ear so he heard Sirius' breathing hitch quite clearly. An arm encircled his waist, pulling him firmly against the body at his back, a body that was – clearly – already responding to their proximity.

Remus felt his own body stir, and he twisted in Sirius' grasp, groaning when their hardening cocks caught on each other. Sirius growled as he nipped at Remus' earlobe. 'You and I definitely need to talk about this. And soon.'

Remus choked out a tiny squeak of agreement as Sirius' lips moved to his throat, planting sucking, open-mouthed kisses there. 'Talk,' he said breathlessly. 'Yeah, sure.'

Sirius made a noise that sounded like a surrender and then they were cutting a hasty swathe through the milling men, clutching at each other as Sirius' hungry lips found Remus'. By the time Remus' back hit a nearby wall, their hands were sliding under the soft fabric of their shirts, greedily seeking the warmth of skin, tracing musculature with eager hands.

'We're supposed to be... oh, right there... um... working...' Remus said, the words quickly swallowed by Sirius' lips and objections forgotten with a tweak of his nipple.

'Uh huh,' Sirius mumbled, tongue flicking at Remus'. 'In a minute.' His hips rolled, grinding deliciously into Remus' and Remus hooked a leg around Sirius' legs to draw him closer.

Sirius moaned – the vibration along Remus' skin raising goose bumps – and rocked rhythmically against Remus, lips trailing along his jaw. Remus tilted his head, his eyes closing as he lost himself in the sensual assault.

The tantilising scrape of teeth against his throat made Remus inhale sharply and, as the mingled scents of the club dwellers tickled his senses, Remus smelled something familiar, something earthier. Something more animalistic and primal.

'Fuck.'

'Gods, yes,' Sirius groaned, his hand curving over the bulge in the front of Remus' jeans. 'Now...'

'No,' Remus said, struggling to drag himself out of the haze of lust he'd been drowning in. 'No, he's here. Sirius, I can smell him.'

Sirius lifted his head and stared at Remus with glazed eyes. 'Where?' he asked, thickened voice catching on the inquiry. He cleared his throat and, with obvious effort, pushed away from Remus. 'Where is he?'

Remus gestured to his left, towards the dance floor. 'Over there,' he told him, shoving himself off the wall. The flush of heat Sirius' touch engendered was dissipating, and an icy chill tumbled down Remus' spine. 'I'll track him,' he said, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of his wand. 'You get the others.'

'No, I...'

'Sirius, he might leave,' Remus hissed, taking a step towards the dense mass of bodies congregating around the dance floor. 'I can find him, keep an eye on him, then you can arrest him.'

'Remus...'

'Sirius...' Remus fisted Sirius' shirt and dragged him in for a fast kiss. 'I'll be fine. Go.'

Before Sirius could raise another objection, Remus darted off, quickly disappearing in the crowd. Sirius groaned in frustration then turned on his heel to find the others, anxiety clawing in his stomach.

'I have a bad feeling about this.'

Remus moved as quickly as he could through the undulating throng, letting his nose lead him. The scent was heavier here amongst the heaving bodies, exacerbated by the heat of so many people in close quarters. A prickle crawled across Remus' skin. He could feel the other werewolf. The smell was pungent, thick, stronger than he'd experienced before, and Remus realised that the other man was excited. He was aware of Remus, knew that he was being hunted, and he was getting some kind of feverish charge out of it.

A body knocked Remus off balance, and he stumbled into a thick-set man. He mumbled an apology then was forced to get out of the way of a couple who were enthusiastically rutting against each other, limbs flailing.

Remus stopped and closed his eyes, breathing slow and deep to orientate himself. That irritating little itch turned into burning awareness and he opened his eyes, locking gazes with a tall, broad-chested man who was suddenly just an arm's length away. The man's eyes were dark and malevolent and, as Remus' stomach twisted unpleasantly, a salacious, sly smile spread across his face.

'I know you, Remus Lupin,' he said, rough voice grating over Remus' frayed nerves. He stepped closer, and Remus' hand tightened on his wand. The werewolf grinned nastily, catching the slight movement. 'You think you're going to stop me?'

'My friends...'

'They all smell delicious,' he taunted, so close now that Remus' head was spinning from the scent of blood and flesh and death emanating from him. 'So vibrant, so youthful, so untainted.'

Remus' blood ran cold, and he tugged his wand from his pocket. 'You leave them alone,' he snarled, aiming his wand and silently casting an anti-Apparition spell.

But it was countered, the white glow bouncing off the other man and hitting Remus, sending him staggering backwards into the surrounding crowd. As he caught his balance, he saw Sirius frantically pushing his way through the crowd towards them. He raised his wand again, but the werewolf laughed as he turned on the spot.

'Oh, I'm going to enjoy this,' he laughed before he disappeared.


	10. Chapter 10

'What were you thinking?'

Remus opened his mouth to answer Sirius' shouted question, but the other man continued before he could get a word out.

'You could have been killed! You could have been caught! What would have happened if Peter hadn't gotten you out before Magical Law Enforcement got there? Or the Improper Use of Magic lot?'

He paused to take a breath and Remus opened his mouth again.

'You could have been jailed, Remus!' Sirius continued, ignoring Remus' attempt to defend himself. 'You could have been put to death! You're unregistered, for Merlin's sake. I would have thought you'd be a bit more careful about pulling out your wand in a roomful of Muggles...'

'Okay, I think he gets your point, Sirius,' James said loudly as he entered the living room. 'Any louder and you're going to wake Harry and the baby.'

Sirius' teeth clicked as he shut his mouth, settling for glaring at Remus as James spoke. 'You'll have to share the spare room – Pete's taking the couch,' he said, glancing warily from Sirius to Remus then back again. 'Keep your clothes on and your bits in your pants, please. Those sheets are expensive and they stain easily.'

'I can Apparate to 'The Burrow'...' Remus began but Sirius shook his head.

'No, I want you here where I can keep an eye on you,' he said sharply. 'That bloke tonight knew who you were, knew who we were. I don't want any of you to be alone until we catch him. It's too dangerous.'

Remus threw up his hands. 'Fine,' he snapped, spinning on his heel and stalking towards the staircase. 'Thank you for letting me stay, James. Where...?'

'Second door to your left,' James directed. 'Bathroom is to your right. Pete's in there now.'

James watched him until he disappeared then turned to Sirius. Before he could open his mouth, Sirius spoke defensively. 'Don't tell me I was too hard on him,' he warned, glaring at his friend as he paced agitatedly. 'I told him not to come, and he could have been found out...'

'Does this mean you aren't going to turn him in after all this is over?'

Sirius jolted to a halt and stared at James. 'You thought I was going to?' he asked then his face blanched. 'Do you think Remus thinks I'm going to?'

James shrugged. 'It has to have crossed his mind if it's occurred to me.' He cocked his head curiously. 'All that time you spent with him over the last couple of weeks, you two never talked? At all?'

Sirius shrugged. 'Wasn't sure what to say,' he admitted.

James was quiet for a moment then said softly, 'Do you know now?'

Sirius closed his eyes, confusion and fear roiling inside him, confliction tearing at him. 'I know what I don't want to say,' he hedged, and James sighed.

'That's better than nothing,' he said.

Sirius didn't say anything and, a second later, heard James' footsteps receding as he climbed the stairs.

Sirius sat in the kitchen for nearly an hour before he followed in James' footsteps, hesitating outside the door of the spare room before cracking it open. He made a face when the hinges squeaked, and glanced towards the large bed centered against the wall opposite. A beam of light from the lamp in the hall fell softly across Remus' face, and Sirius forced back the surge of mingled affection and desire that stirred his loins – and his heart. As he stripped and crawled carefully into bed, the domesticity of the situation made his stomach tighten.

'S'rs?'

He started then chuckled softly at his own jumpiness. 'Sorry,' he said as Remus stirred. 'Didn't mean to wake you.'

'Didn't.'

Sirius let his head sink into the soft pillow and exhaled slowly. His mind was still working through the plans and scenarios he'd put to Moody tomorrow, and he lost himself in his thoughts so thoroughly that he didn't feel Remus roll over, didn't feel the tentative touch to his arm, didn't realise Remus was shifting until his face loomed over him and his thighs were cradling Sirius' own.

'Hi,' he said, voice cracking in surprise.

Remus smiled a little sleepily down at him. 'Hi.'

'Don't think that this is a complaint,' Sirius murmured, very aware of the proximity of both Lily and James' bedroom and Remus tight arse which was currently grinding slowly against his prick; his attention and loyalty swinging wildly between the two warring factions. 'But what exactly are you doing?'

'Have I mentioned,' Remus whispered, leaning over and crushing his - fuck - already hard cock against Sirius' rapidly swelling dick, 'that as much as you ranting about my safety annoys the hell out of me, it also makes me hard enough to drill through brick?'

Sirius' throat went dry. 'N... no,' he croaked out, all thoughts of James and Lily sleeping just a thin wall away dissolving. 'I wish you had, though. I wouldn't have taken so long to come up here.'

Remus chuckled softly and wriggled his hips, his hands tugging his briefs down far enough to allow his erection to bounce free. 'I think that, since you created it, you should fix it,' he rasped, rising to his knees and shuffling forward to straddle Sirius' chest. He grasped the base of his cock and rubbed the sticky head across Sirius' lips. 'Suck me.'

One of Sirius' hands scrabbled across the bed, searching for another pillow – which he quickly shoved under his head - while the other wrapped tight around Remus' thigh. He moaned and parted his lips obligingly as Remus slowly fed him his cock.

The position was awkward and, after allowing Remus to grip his hair and fuck his mouth fast and dirty until he was teetering on the brink, Sirius put his hands on Remus' taut stomach and pushed him away. Remus fell heavily onto Sirius' hip and Sirius took advantage of his instability to shove him down onto the bed and roll on top of him.

'Arsehole,' Remus panted, and Sirius laughed breathlessly.

'Says the man who almost choked me with his cock after little more than a 'suck me' in greeting.'

Remus grinned and lurched up, kissing Sirius with a heat Sirius eagerly matched. He nudged Sirius' thighs apart with a knee then thrust insistently against him. Sirius broke the kiss, sitting up and straddling Remus' hips as he stared down at him.

'You want to fuck here?'

'You'd prefer to go elsewhere?' Remus retorted, canting his hips once more. Sirius groaned as Remus' cock slid along the cleft between his buttocks then reached for his wand.

'You are taking the blame if the sheets are stained,' he muttered in delighted defeat before he cast a hurried preparation spell and aligned their bodies.

Remus' fingers bruised Sirius' thighs as Sirius took him in inch by inch, rocking his hips gently as they both closed their eyes and lost themselves in the quakes of pure pleasure that shuddered through them as their bodies joined. He heard Remus' breath hitch then a calloused hand was sliding up his sternum and hooking around his neck, dragging Sirius down until he was stretched across Remus' chest. Sirius opened his eyes in time to see Remus' blown out pupils before his mouth was claimed in a slow, wet kiss that made him grip Remus' shoulders in a desperate attempt to hold on, to not drown in the waves of emotion and sensation that crashed relentlessly over him.

The hand at his nape trailed down Sirius' spine to curve around his buttocks, holding Sirius in place as Remus bucked up into him, pushing his cock deep into Sirius' body. Electricity sparked with every thrust and Sirius' eyes rolled back in his head as Remus found his prostate and hit it with unerring accuracy over and over.

Their kiss went on as their bodies strained for release - desire and heat surging between them as they greedily took everything the other offered - then it ebbed into light, teasing bites, breathing in short, sharp pants into each others' mouths.

Sirius felt rather than heard his name as it was mouthed against his skin, and responded with a breathless, 'Remus,' as a twist of Remus' hips sent his body into spasms of ecstasy, his climax pulsing from him, hot and powerful.

A sudden loss of equilibrium added to the exquisite rush of release, and Sirius found himself on his back, Remus bracing himself above him. He reached up with a shaking hand and buried his fingers in Remus' damp hair, tiny whimpers escaping his lips as Remus' cock drove deeply inside him.

'Gods, you are so beautiful when you come,' Remus whispered harshly, his rhythm stuttering before his head dropped to Sirius' shoulder. 'Sirius...'

With a fierce shudder, Remus came, his hips pumping jerkily as he worked out every second of his orgasm before he fell heavily onto Sirius' chest. Sirius turned his head and kissed him on the temple, hands tracing the contours of Remus' torso and back until Remus chuckled and twisted out of his embrace.

'Ticklish,' he muttered, giving Sirius a playful poke in the ribs with a finger before he rolled them onto their sides. 'Thanks.'

'What for?'

'I just... needed this tonight,' Remus admitted, fingers drawing abstract patterns on Sirius' bicep. 'I needed you.'

Sirius didn't say anything for a time, concentrating on the movement of Remus' fingers, the rise and fall of the other man's chest against his own. 'I won't tell the Ministry about you, you know,' he said eventually. Remus' swirling touch paused for a heartbeat then the concentric motion continued.

'Thank you.'

Sirius frowned. 'You knew that, right?' he asked, peering down at Remus' face, but it was in shadow, unreadable. 'I... I couldn't do that.' To you.

Remus nodded against Sirius chest then edged closer. 'Sleep now,' he murmured, reaching up blindly and rubbing his thumb over Sirius' mouth. Sirius licked the digit, and Remus huffed out a laugh, warm air rushing over Sirius' nipple and tightening the bud.

Sirius smiled and, despite himself, curled into Remus warmth. 'Sleep,' he agreed, closing his eyes as Remus' respiration slowed and evened out.

His eyes snapped back open in what felt like just a few seconds later, but the light streaming through the open curtains told him it had been longer. A throat was cleared noisily and Sirius lifted his head to peer blearily in the direction of the doorway.

'Potter,' he groaned, head falling back onto the pillow.

James grunted. 'I'm more sorry about this than you are, trust me, but Moody just Flooed looking for you.'

'Shit.'

'I told him you were chasing a few leads on the murders, but you shouldn't be too much longer.'

'Thanks, James.'

James nodded then looked from Sirius to a still-sleeping Remus before turning serious eyes back on his best friend. 'I hope you know what you're doing.'

Sirius turned his head and smiled softly as Remus mumbled under his breath and snuggled closer. 'Not a clue,' he murmured.

'You're sure about this?'

Sirius looked up from his notes and saw the sceptical expressions on the faces of not only Moody, but the members of the Magical Control unit who were attending the briefing. 'I have evidence to support the theory that werewolves can hunt specific prey rather than indulge themselves in indiscriminate rampages,' he snapped, waving his hand towards the mountains of paperwork and reports spread across the table. 'And he made a threat directly against us.'

He glanced at Fabian and Gideon before facing off with Moody. 'I don't think he realises that we know he is targeting his victims by marking them which means he isn't aware that I know he's marked me as his next meal.'

'How do you know he chose you? Your ego that big?' Emmeline asked, and Sirius grinned.

'My ego isn't the biggest part of me, sweetheart,' he said flirtatiously, but he sobered fast. 'It didn't click until he was described to me, but I suspect it was the same man who was needlessly handsy with me on the dance floor. He fits the description, and it makes sense, given what he said to the witness about having been close enough to scent us and... well, he may have seen me at 'Skin' before last night.'

'Described by who?' asked Benji Fenwick from his seat in the corner. 'You mentioned an informant...'

'Who wants to stay anonymous for various reasons,' Sirius broke in. He glanced at the Prewett brothers who nodded as one. 'We checked him out thoroughly...' There was a soft laugh from, he suspected, Fabian which was quickly - and badly - disguised as a cough, '...and he's reliable.'

Moody snorted and shook his head. 'How do you know the werewolf won't just go elsewhere? Forget about you, find another victim at another club where there hasn't been an incident involving our enforcement agencies?'

'Because it's a game,' Sirius told him. 'He's laughing at us. He thinks that we'll be waiting for him to attack someone random at the club, that we'll be busy watching the whole scene rather than just one person. He doesn't know that we know he's going to be tracking me. He'll wait until he thinks we're frustrated and pissed off and losing concentration then attack.'

'You really believe these animals have that kind of self-control?' asked a senior Magical Creature Control officer, a sneer curling his lip.

'Not all of them, no,' Sirius replied stiffly, instinctively disliking the man who helped enforce the lockdown laws. 'But I believe this man does.'

'If we could legalise a bloody cull on the creatures, we wouldn't have this problem,' the same officer, Bert Tufty, said to an agreeable colleague.

'Isn't that what you've been doing?' Sirius snapped, slamming his fists down onto the table and standing up. He hadn't intended on confronting this issue now, but the man's words made him see red. 'How else do you explain the increased deaths of the werewolves in your custody during the full moon?'

He saw Moody frown and rounded on him. 'Are you in on that little scheme as well?' he snapped, glaring at his mentor. 'Do you think it's justifiable?'

'What the hell are you talking about?' Moody snapped, face reddening with anger as he looked from Sirius to Bert.

'I'm talking about the Ministry-sanctioned cull that occurs at every full moon,' Sirius yelled. 'Those bastards are taking innocent human lives...'

'They're werewolves!' Bert declared, disgust colouring his face. 'Have you been in the cell block at the full moon? Heard the noise as they howl and throw themselves about? There is nothing human about them.'

'You are such a fucking...'

'Sirius!' Moody's booming voice echoed around the room, and Sirius bit back the insults he'd been prepared to hurl at the older man. Moody turned to Bert, narrowing his eyes. 'Bert? Is there any truth to what he's suggesting?'

'These creatures are inherently violent,' Bert said, his dismissive tone grating on Sirius' nerves. 'There are bound to be some deaths...'

'The increase doesn't support accidental, self-inflicted death,' Sirius snarled, shoving several piles of paper aside to pull out a folder. He tossed it down in front of Moody. 'That document shows the number of full moon deaths from the first month of the lockdowns until last month,' he said when Moody looked curiously at the folder. 'Look through it. You'll see that mortality has increased by two hundred percent since the beginning of the lockdowns, and that the number of deaths is consistent each and every month. If these deaths were really brought on by the stress of transformation, the numbers would fluctuate from month to month, not stay almost exactly the same with each moon.'

He scowled at Bert, who was now looking a little stressed under the combined weight of the gazes upon him. 'You didn't think anyone would care,' he said, disdainfully. 'You didn't think anyone would check and even if they did.. well, they're only animals, right?'

'Three Muggles are dead because of one of those monsters,' Bert blustered, rising to his feet and tugging at his robes. 'If this werewolf had been locked up, those men would still be alive.'

'What about the people you've killed each moon who never did anyone any harm?' Sirius cried. 'They weren't animals... they were people! They had families and friends who loved them, who grieved for them.'

'Enough!' Moody ordered, holding up his hands. 'I think we need to concentrate on the immediate matter.'

Sirius turned his furious gaze on Moody who met it with his own steely glare. 'I will look into this, I promise,' he said before Sirius could speak. 'But right now, we need to focus on how we're going to stop the Muggle murders. We've only got a few days to put together a plan.'

Grudgingly, Sirius gave a curt nod. 'Fine, but I'm not letting this go.'

Respect flickered in Moody's eyes. 'I would think less of you if you did,' he said before turning back to the collective of Ministry workers and continuing the briefing.


	11. Chapter 11

James and Peter stared at Sirius in disbelief. 'You're going to be bait?' Peter said faintly, barely audible over the raucous racket from the bar.

'I'll be fine,' Sirius said offhandedly, turning his half-full glass and watching the ringlets of condensation appear on the table. 'There'll be plenty of Aurors there.'

'Yeah, you lot did such a great job of putting the stoppers on him last time,' James said sarcastically, slumping back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. 'This is a fucking terrible idea, Sirius.'

Sirius shot him a dark look then hazarded a glance at Remus, who had been silent since Sirius broke the news. 'You aren't going to yell at me, too?' he asked quietly, uncharacteristically nervous about Remus' reaction.

Remus looked up at Sirius through his eyelashes. 'Not my place to yell at you,' he mumbled, finger tapping the rim of his glass. 'For the record, though, I think you're an idiot and, as someone who is quite fond of certain parts of your body, it scares me to death to see how cavalier you are about putting them at risk.'

'The record will reflect your observations as well as your adoration of my body,' Sirius said, raising his glass and gulping the remains of the ale down in one long pull.

'Fondness,' Remus corrected snidely. 'You need another inch for adoration.'

'Ouch!'

'Sirius...' Peter tried, but Sirius shook his head.

'Look, I'm doing this,' he said firmly. 'He marked me at the club so I'm the one who has to do it. Case closed.'

There was silence in their little corner of the bar, the cacophony rising from the crowd of after work punters a juxtaposition to the oppressive quiet in their booth. Sirius looked from man to man, from his best friends to Remus, the man who had somehow managed to worm his way into Sirius' heart.

'It'll be alright,' he said, looking at each man in turn. 'I'll be alright.'

Peter and James glanced at each other then visibly forced their concern away. 'Course you will,' Peter blustered. 'Only the good die young.'

James took up the forced cheer. 'He'd probably spit you out after one bite anyway,' James said, giving Sirius a light kick to his shin. 'Can't imagine you'd taste very good.'

'Oh, he tastes quite good, actually,' Remus offered, lifting his chin and smirking at James. 'Kind of salty...'

'Ew!' James and Peter cried in unison. James winced and Peter covered his ears, singing, 'I'm not listening, I'm not listening,' and making Sirius and Remus laugh.

Sirius woke with a start the next day, the grey light of the early morning spearing weakly through the parted curtains. He lifted his head off the pillow, squinting as his sleep-weary eyes attempted to focus on the unfamiliar furnishings. A noise from beside him made his head snap around sharply then the ratty surroundings began to make sense.

'Go back to sleep,' Remus mumbled, voice rough with sleep and slightly slurred. He turned his head to look at Sirius. ''S too early.'

Sirius obligingly laid back down, careful not to bump Remus too much as he curled up next to him. The other man was aching last night – and not the good ache that came from the slow, careful fucking Sirius had been happy to provide. With the full moon due that night, Remus was tired and sore – pain tearing through his joints with every movement – and desperately miserable that he couldn't be at 'Skin' that night to help Sirius.

'I hate this!' he said despairingly, sinking down on the edge of the bed. 'Gods, I hate feeling so bloody useless. I hate being this... creature...'

Sirius crouched between Remus' legs, pulling the other man's hands away from his face. 'You're not a creature, Remus,' he said softly. 'And I wouldn't let you come tomorrow even if you could.' He skimmed his hands along Remus' arms, stroking a finger firmly over a long, silvery scar as he did. He cupped Remus' face. 'I don't want you at risk. I need you to be safe.'

He kissed Remus, who accepted the chaste press of lips then sighed. 'What are we doing?' he asked Sirius, voice weary. 'This can't work – you and me. The more I see you, the harder it is to watch you leave. But this... we're impossible, Sirius.'

Sirius flattened a hand against Remus' chest and gently pushed until he was lying on his back on the mattress. He carefully crawled over him, looming above him on his hands and knees. 'Nothing is impossible,' he whispered before dipping his head and kissing Remus slow and deep.

Now, he pressed a flurry of kisses over Remus' freckled shoulder. Remus' sleepy chuckle sparked a warm glow in his chest, and Sirius sighed. 'I should go,' he murmured, flicking his tongue over the jutting collar bone and wanting nothing more than to pull the covers over them and shut out the world. 'Big day.'

Remus' brow furrowed, and Sirius smiled as an arm snaked around his waist. 'No,' Remus said definitively. 'Fuck first.' He tightened his arms, hissing when his body objected to the movement.

'I don't think so,' Sirius chuckled, shifting to lie lightly over Remus' chest. 'Shouldn't have done it last night with you so sore.'

Remus made a noise in his throat. 'No,' he murmured, combing his fingers through Sirius' hair. 'No, last night was perfect. Just what I needed.'

Sirius kissed Remus' sternum then slid down to nuzzle his face into Remus' soft belly. 'Me too,' he admitted, still surprised how much comfort and reassurance he'd taken from Remus' touch last night. His fingers danced along Remus' inner thigh and he smiled in satisfaction when Remus' cock twitched with interest.

He rolled himself up onto his knees then pressed his face into the tight curls at the base of Remus' swelling cock. 'No fucking,' he murmured into the warm, musky skin. 'A blow job, however...'

Remus grinned, pulling a pillow under his head so he could watch as Sirius' mouth stretched around his shaft. 'Just what the doctor ordered,' he said, a low groan escaping as Sirius swallowed him whole.

Sirius spun on his heel, striding down the dank alleyway that ran alongside 'Skin' nightclub. The moon had risen an hour earlier, and Sirius could feel tension and magic crackling around him. Sirius came to an abrupt halt in front of a brick wall, spun on the spot, and stalked back the way he'd came.

'If you don't stop pacing, Black, you won't need to worry about the werewolf becauseI'm going to rip you a new...'

'Prewett!' Moody's hissed rebuke was followed by a quiet, 'You ready, Black?'

Sirius let his eyes go unfocused, catching the shimmer of the Disillusionment spells camouflaging his colleagues. 'I'm ready,' he muttered then glanced towards the mouth of the alley. 'No heat signatures yet?'

'Not yet,' Emmeline whispered, and he caught the white spark of a spell. 'Good luck, Sirius.'

Sirius nodded an acknowledgment. 'I'll wait until you pick up the heat signature then, after you contact me, I'll come out and head down the alley as if I was going to Apparate.'

'Sure you don't want me in there with you,' a voice Sirius recognised as Fabian's murmured.

Sirius smirked. 'You just want to get back in there,' he teased. 'All those pretty boys in tight jeans... I knew you'd come around.'

A low chuckle then, 'Arse.'

'Can we get on with it, please?'

Sirius took a deep breath and nodded. 'Here goes,' he muttered under his breath as he strode with more confidence than he felt towards the entrance of the club.

Two hours later, Sirius emerged from the hot, smoky club into the crisp night air. He stopped in the doorway and shivered, pulling his leather coat tightly around him before stepping off the curb and jogging across the street.

Emmeline's Patronus had told him it was time to go; that a large heat signature had been sighted somewhere in the immediate vicinity. But it couldn't tell him where and, even though he knew the others were watching from vantage points all around the surrounding buildings, it didn't stop him wanting to hex every shadow.

This was a big risk and there was a very good chance the werewolf would maim, if not kill him before the silver bullets could reach him. Adrenaline surged through his body, his instincts swinging violently between fight and flight while he waited for the attack.

What if I'm wrong? What if he marked James or Peter instead?

His gut told him he was right, though, and his step didn't waver as he walked slowly down the block away from the club. Sirius could feel the comforting weight of his wand hidden up his sleeve and tried to turn his thoughts to more pleasant things.

They say that when your life is hanging in the balance, your life flashes before your eyes and, when Sirius heard the scratch of claws on cement and felt the hot, putrid breath of a carnivore ruffle his hair, he learned how true that was.

As he tore his wand from his sleeve and listened desperately for the poppoppop of the silver bullets as they sped from the sniper's rifles, images of James and Lily, of Harry and Lottie, of Peter, and, finally, Remus flooded him. And as he whirled around and gazed upon the snarling, salivating animal before it lunged at him with a blood-chilling growl, he wished he'd said a better goodbye.

'Remus? Remus, wake up.'

Remus frowned and raised his arm, throwing it across his face. 'Go 'way,' he mumbled, even as sleep was chased away by pain, his body screaming from the agony of being twisted and broken the night before.

'Remus, it's Lily. Merlin, please wake up!'

Remus cracked his eyes open and peered blearily over his arm at an out-of-focus Lily. 'Lily?' he whispered hoarsely. He tried to clear his raw throat. 'What are...?'

'Sirius,' she sobbed out, and the scent of salt and fear on her skin brought the memory of last night's plan back in a dizzying rush.

'Lily, what happened? Gods, was he...?'

'He's hurt,' she whispered, grasping his hand tightly. 'He's hurt, Remus.'

Panic blazed through him, the hot flood dousing the stabbing pain of his injured flesh. He hauled himself to his feet and reached for his jeans. 'Take me to him,' he demanded, grabbing her shoulder for support. 'Now.'

James looked up then jumped to his feet, dumping his coffee in a nearby bin before reaching out to take Remus' weight from Lily. 'Godric, you look like shit! Are you alright?'

'Fine,' Remus said impatiently, forcing back the nausea that was curdling in his stomach after the fast Apparition. 'How's Sirius?'

James' face hardened. He sent Lily to get some fresh coffee, and he didn't answer until he'd settled Remus into a chair in the waiting area. 'He's pretty beat up,' he said, voice a little shaky as he sat down beside Remus. 'Lots of scratches. Peter isn't sure what was directly caused by the werewolf and what was caused by...' He cleared his throat. 'Sirius was thrown around quite a bit.'

Remus closed his eyes at the thought of the werewolf batting Sirius around like a rag doll. 'Was he bitten?'

James sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. 'Peter doesn't know,' he said. His voice cracked and he cleared his throat again. 'There was a lot of blood...'

Remus whimpered and buried his face in his hands. The thought of Sirius being changed, being cursed, ripped his heart out. He pressed the heels of his hands hard against his eyes, willing the tears of helplessness away then he raised his head abruptly as a sudden thought hit him.

'They caught him, didn't they?' he asked frantically. 'The werewolf? They...'

'He's dead,' James said flatly, stretching his legs out in front of him. 'Silver bullets – six of them. We'll never know why he did it.'

'Can't say I care much right now,' Remus muttered, rubbing a hand across his face. He winced as the movement jarred his wrist.

'You should go home,' James said, seeing the flinch. 'I told Lily to tell you, not to bring you here.'

'I'm not going anywhere,' Remus said stubbornly, giving Lily a quick smile of thanks when she reappeared with three cups of coffee. 'Not until I know he's alright.'

Remus had his eyes closed, praying to a deity he'd lost contact with a long time ago, when Peter finally came through the door. Lily's gasp alerted him, and his eyes snapped open.

'Peter...?' James whispered hesitantly, as if frightened to even ask.

'He'll be alright,' Peter said, a grin splitting his exhausted face. 'He'll be okay.'

James whooped and crushed Peter to his chest in a bear hug, Peter laughing and returning the embrace enthusiastically. Tears of relief ran unchecked over Lily's pale cheeks as she clasped her hands together, her shoulders hitching with silent sobs. James released Peter and gathered Lily in his arms, cradling her as she wept. Peter watched them for a long moment before his gaze slid to a wobbly-legged Remus.

'Merlin!' he yelped, striding to Remus' side. 'Remus, you look like death chewed you up and spat you out.'

'I like to look my best,' Remus quipped tiredly, finally letting himself relax back into the uncomfortable chair. Sirius was going to be alright. 'Is he really...? He wasn't...?'

Peter shook his head as he prodded Remus' wrist. 'No, he wasn't bitten,' he said absently, fingering a livid bruise on Remus' forearm. 'And he really is fine. A few scars that'll never fade, but hey, blokes dig scars as much as chicks, right?'

Remus closed his eyes again, feeling Sirius' warm, wet tongue mapping the trajectory of his scars as vividly as if it were happening at that moment. 'Yeah,' he murmured then hissed as Peter pressed on what had been a particularly deep wound before Arthur had healed it.

'Did you have any pain potions before you got here?' Peter asked, a frown creasing his brow as he waved his wand over Remus' arm. 'And did you know you've fractured your wrist?'

'No and no,' Remus sighed. 'Can I see him?'

Peter's eyes flicked up to Remus' face then lowered once again. 'He's sleeping, but yeah. James and Lily can go in first while I sort you out then you can sit with him for a while.'

He stood up and shoved his wand into the holster up his sleeve as he repeated himself for James and Lily. James nodded brusquely and hurriedly left the waiting room, Lily patting Remus on the shoulder before following him.

'I'm going to get some pain potions for you,' Peter said, but Remus grabbed him by the wrist before he could move.

'He... He'll hate me, won't he?' he said resignedly. His chest tightened and he felt tired tears stinging his eyes. 'Every time he sees me, he'll remember what I am and what happened to him.'

'You didn't do this to him, Remus.'

'But I'm one of them.'

Peter smiled and covered Remus' hand with his own. 'No, you're not,' he said softly. 'You're Remus. And Sirius isn't that shallow.'

'I didn't mean...'

'I know,' Peter soothed. 'You know, I didn't think I'd ever see him like this – sticking with one bloke for more than a night or two. You're good for him, Remus. You didn't scare him off when you told him about yourself, and I don't think this'll do it either.' He flashed a fast smile then sobered. 'Just make sure you're worthy of his trust, alright? I like you, Remus, and it'd be a shame if James and I were forced to do Very Painful Things to you.'

Remus smiled and nodded. Peter grinned then patted his hand. 'Now, let me get those pain potions then you can see the hero of the hour.'

James and Lily looked up as Remus, closely followed by Peter, entered the room. James grinned at them as Lily bent over the bed to kiss Sirius on the cheek.

'He's awake,' James told them, looking enormously relieved. 'And he's whining because we won't give him a mirror so he can admire his battle scars.'

'I like scars!' came a plaintive voice from the bed.

James rolled his eyes. 'We'll leave you to it,' he said to Remus as he moved aside, giving Remus his first glimpse of a bruised and bandaged Sirius whose eyes lit up at the sight of Remus.

'Hey,' he said softly, his smile tentative.

Remus mirrored him, still not entirely certain of his welcome. 'Hi,' he murmured. 'I hear you've been mistaken for a chew toy.'

Sirius huffed out a laugh then held out his arm. 'Come here.'

Remus slowly moved closer, taking Sirius' outstretched hand. His gaze never left Sirius, his mind barely registering the hasty departure of the others. Sirius kept his eyes on Remus as well, tugging gently on their joined hands to bring him nearer.

'Are you okay?' he asked, eyes raking over Remus from head to toe. 'Last night...'

Remus laughed, incredulous that Sirius was even asking. 'You're the one in the hospital bed,' Remus reminded him, caging Sirius' hand between his.

'Meaning I've been fixed up and will be my irresistible self in no time,' Sirius retorted then he patted the space on the mattress beside him, the hint blatant and impossible to ignore. Remus sat, his throat aching from suppressed emotion. 'You, on the other hand,' Sirius said, 'look like shit.'

'That does seem to be the consensus,' Remus murmured, raising Sirius' hand to his mouth, brushing his lips lightly across the back of Sirius' fingers. Sirius' joviality, instead of soothing and relieving him, only made him feel worse, but Remus played along, sensing Sirius was doing it for his benefit. 'I should be incredibly resentful that you look as good as you do after being gnawed on by a werewolf while I look wrung out after spending the night lounging around the ol' shack.'

A wry smile spread slowly across Sirius' face, his eyes becoming unfocused and glazed as Remus pressed a kiss to each knuckle. 'You know I only did it so you could play nursemaid?' he said huskily. 'You'll look bloody brilliant in one of those Muggle nurse's uniforms.'

Remus' smile felt more like a grimace as a lump formed in his throat. 'I... I don't have the legs for it,' he managed to get out, his eyes stinging. Sirius' own smile faded when he saw the distress Remus was finding more and more difficult to hide.

'I'm alright,' he whispered, grasping Remus' wrist. 'I really am.'

Remus felt a sob rising in his chest and was helpless to stop it slipping out. 'Gods, Sirius...'

'Come here.'

Sirius pulled firmly on Remus' arm, not letting up until Remus was curled up next to him on the bed and they were holding on tight, as though frightened the other would disappear if they let go. Remus pressed his face into Sirius' chest, hand hesitantly sliding across his stomach, mindful of the bulky padding of the bandages beneath the St. Mungo's gown.

'I won't break,' Sirius said softly, lips moving against Remus' brow. 'I really am okay. Just some cuts which will be healed by morning.' He laughed quietly. 'With Peter's painkillers, I can barely feel them. It pays to have a Healer in the family.'

Remus nuzzled his nose into the crook of Sirius' neck, inhaling deeply. He could still smell Sirius under the sharp scent of the Healer-strength Cleansing spells. 'He gave me the good ones too,' he mumbled against Sirius' collar bone. 'He's not picky about who he's handing them out to.'

Sirius made a noise of disagreement. He combed his fingers through Remus' hair then gripped his chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing Remus to look at him. 'Yes, he is,' Sirius said, his voice soft, but full of meaning. 'He considers you family.' He swallowed hard then opened his mouth, snapping it shut again before he sighed heavily. 'I... Maybe we can start over,' Sirius suggested.

Remus frowned, puzzled. 'What do you mean?'

'How we met... well, as amazing as it was, it's not one for the godchildren, is it?' he said with a quirk of his lips. 'And we just kind of kept falling into each other after that.' He licked his lips and cleared his throat. 'I want to do this properly, Remus. I don't want just fucking, as bloody mind-blowing as that is. I want more. I want us to be more.'

Remus shook his head, a tear streaking down his cheek. 'You're an Auror,' he said hoarsely, Sirius' confession robbing him of his already tenuous control over his emotions. 'And I...'

'Moody's looking into the allegations of Ministry-sanctioned werewolf culling,' Sirius told him. 'It's likely the legislation will be abolished, and the lockdowns scrapped. I'm thinking of transferring to the Magical Creatures Legislation Department to oversee the drafting of some new legislation.'

He cupped Remus' stunned face. 'Remus,' he pleaded. 'We can do this. I promise. We can do it. Can we just... start over? Do it properly? Meet, date, perhaps do some talking in between the shagging? See where it goes?'

Remus chuckled then nodded, unable to pretend this wasn't exactly what he wanted as well – a chance at a life he never thought he'd get with someone he loved. 'Okay,' he whispered. 'Okay.'

Sirius beamed then wriggled back, putting some space between them. 'Hi,' he said brightly, holding out a hand. 'I'm Sirius Black. I'm an Auror, I'm unnaturally dependent on my friends, and I've never been in a serious relationship but I think it might be about time I gave it a try. I hear good things.'

Remus grinned and took Sirius' hand in his own. 'I'm Remus Lupin,' he replied. 'I'm a private tutor, I have an unnatural affection for chocolate and Muggle pizza, my legs aren't anywhere near good enough to get away with wearing a nurse's uniform, and once a month, I have some... body hair issues.'

Sirius laughed then leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to Remus' lips. 'Nice to meet you, Remus Lupin,' he said softly. 'You don't have any objections to sleeping with a man you've only just met, do you? Because I really, really don't want to let you go.'

Remus leaned his forehead against Sirius', caressing his cheek lightly with his fingertips. 'No objections,' he whispered, feeling Sirius' sigh of relief feather over his skin. He slipped under the covers then pulled Sirius closer, their legs tangling beneath the sheets. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

fin.


End file.
